Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Letter to local schools.
1. Embedded/Appliance/Tur(n)key applications ie Internet gateway, email server, NAS device. Often admined through a web interface, user doesn't know a thing about the OS
This could be a very real possibility. I am eagerly awaiting my copy of smoothwall, to see how much of a 'blackbox' I can make some of my old 486s (see http://www.smoothwall.org/) If I have a single CD with all I need to turn it into a firewall, admined via a web interface (as they claim) - then I see no reason why a central body could not collect 486s, configure them up in this way, and ship them back to schools as internet firewalls ... This is the sort of idea that can really appeal - ie someone providing a service of turning old PCs into 'black boxes' doing something useful. Similar applications could perhaps include : - Print server - Email/web server - File server (network access storage ?) For client end of things, a similar thing could be setup to build X terminals (of course this would rely on your having a suitable server to serve them of course). It would be interesting to see how much could be gained from recycling PCs into 'network appliances' as it were ... Someone at my last LUG meeting suggesting raiding skips for thrown out boxes, popping Linux on them, and giving them out to LUG members for experiments (a bit extreme, but I am sure something could come of it). Just my thoughts. Kevin.
kevin.taylor@powerconv.alstom.com said:
Someone at my last LUG meeting suggesting raiding skips for thrown out boxes, popping Linux on them, and giving them out to LUG members for experiments (a bit extreme, but I am sure something could come of it).
Serious point would be to talk to a reasonable sized company that has been around for a few years so is likely to be rolling out old kit with the latest PIV you now need to boot W2K in less than 2 days.... if the kit was going to a good cause and you could guarentee that any data on the systems was entirely wiped I'm sure they could see it as a way of getting cheap publicity. Nigel. -- [ - Opinions expressed are personal and may not be shared by VData - ] [ Nigel Metheringham Nigel.Metheringham@VData.co.uk ] [ Phone: +44 1423 850000 Fax +44 1423 858866 ]
Hi, On Thu, 21 Sep 2000, Nigel Metheringham wrote:
kevin.taylor@powerconv.alstom.com said:
Someone at my last LUG meeting suggesting raiding skips for thrown out boxes, popping Linux on them, and giving them out to LUG members for experiments (a bit extreme, but I am sure something could come of it).
It's a good idea, but unfortunately is technically illegal AFAIK. If companies were to give kit away are they legally liable in any way for it? I mean I presume that companies don't sell old kit because the administration involved makes it easier to just throw it away rather than sell it? And not only that, are they legally liable for the kit at all, say someone gets electricuted as soon as they plug it in at home.
kit was going to a good cause and you could guarentee that any data on the systems was entirely wiped I'm sure they could see it as a way of getting cheap publicity.
Any sensible organisation would presumably wipe the data itself, and in my limited experience a degausser capable of that would render the hard disk as good as unusable. And giving away PCs that require hard disks isn't such a PR coup. -- Nick Drage, helping fill up the internet since 1993. If a `religion' is defined to be a system of ideas that contains unprovable statements, then Godel taught us that mathematics is not only a religion, it is the only religion that can prove itself to be one. - - John Barrow
And not only that, are they legally liable for the kit at all, say someone gets electricuted as soon as they plug it in at home.
Sgreed, this legal liability is important. Suppose the momey I put in the Sunday collecion plate has one of my [microbial] bugs on it and I get sued for the churchwarden's next cold? Safe policies are vital - don't put any in.
limited experience a degausser capable of that would render the hard disk as good as unusable. And giving away PCs that require hard disks isn't such a PR coup.
Well, for fifty of the first seventy we removed the drive before converting to discless workstations, now leave them in but disconnected. it would certainly be a little easier without them. -- Christopher Dawkins, Felsted School, Dunmow, Essex CM6 3JG 01371-820527 or 07798 636725 cchd@felsted.essex.sch.uk
hi all the embedded device, (single function) is already widely employed, for example Cisco's PIX Firewall is an expensive low-end Pentium and Coyote's Web Switch runs on FreeBSD. They are common place in the market. The danger of this approach is of losing the benfits of Open Source. For example if you look at Navaho, they have written excellent but propretiary code which runs on a Cobalt (sorry i mean Sun) RaQ. Its good stuff, web admin etc etc, but your reliant on the supplier to provide updates etc, back to square one where we are with many providers now. The technical idea is sound, the support, development and maintenance model have to keep with the OSS approach. The Computers within Reach initiative has recently put me in touch with about 20 equipment recyclers and refurbishers, some more ethically sound than others, if you want contacts let me know. An estimate stated that there were around 250,000 unwanted 486s in warehouses in the UK, that's half a landfill site. Malcolm ------------------------------- Dr Malcolm Herbert Head of Technology R&D, Becta 02476 847126 Mob: 07801 612438 -------------------------------
-----Original Message----- From: kevin.taylor@powerconv.alstom.com [mailto:kevin.taylor@powerconv.alstom.com] Sent: 21 September 2000 17:07 To: Schools List Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] Letter to local schools.
1. Embedded/Appliance/Tur(n)key applications ie Internet gateway, email server, NAS device. Often admined through a web interface, user doesn't know a thing about the OS
This could be a very real possibility. I am eagerly awaiting my copy of smoothwall, to see how much of a 'blackbox' I can make some of my old 486s (see http://www.smoothwall.org/)
If I have a single CD with all I need to turn it into a firewall, admined via a web interface (as they claim) - then I see no reason why a central body could not collect 486s, configure them up in this way, and ship them back to schools as internet firewalls ...
This is the sort of idea that can really appeal - ie someone providing a service of turning old PCs into 'black boxes' doing something useful.
Similar applications could perhaps include : - Print server - Email/web server - File server (network access storage ?)
For client end of things, a similar thing could be setup to build X terminals (of course this would rely on your having a suitable server to serve them of course).
It would be interesting to see how much could be gained from recycling PCs into 'network appliances' as it were ...
Someone at my last LUG meeting suggesting raiding skips for thrown out boxes, popping Linux on them, and giving them out to LUG members for experiments (a bit extreme, but I am sure something could come of it).
Just my thoughts. Kevin.
participants (5)
-
Christopher Dawkins -
kevin.taylor＠powerconv.alstom.com -
Malcolm -
Nick Drage -
Nigel Metheringham