Build a $150 linux computer. Wired.com

http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Build_a_%24150_Linux_PC

Build a $150 Linux PC

If you've always wanted to build a computer from the ground up but never really had the time to find the necessary parts online, a coupon-centered blog called Coupon Codes Mall has done all the work for you. We think their choices lead to a pretty solid build, and all the coupon/sale links are current, but let's just say this straight-up: You should temper your expectations right now. It's a simple bare bones PC and it probably won't win any real tough benchmark contests. But it's hard to argue with useful and efficient cheapness.

My fastest computer, the one in the garage I use for grinding videos and assorted unattended internet mischief cost less than $100, most of that for a new hard drive. It runs Ubuntu.

The box I'm writing this on runs Debian, and was also built from junk.

But I have got rid of all my CRT monitors. They are too hard to move around, they take up too much space, and they use too much electricity.

No Silicon Valley firm would be caught dead with old obsolete computers on their desks, especially in places visited by investors, or less importantly, customers... :P

It's always seemed to me that someone could put an entire computer in one of those external USB hard drive cases and sell it for less than $200. With big hard drives, fast internet connections, and 8 gigabyte flash memory, CD and DVD drives could go the way of the floppy drive.

Currently very small footprint PCs cost a lot more than big ugly boxes. The peculiar American preference for big computers, big cars, and big houses is still strong.

my big old Mac to the local Dem party. I'd like to have the Asus mini running linux.

Too bad tech companies, along with most in the field, aren't cool anymore. Greedy people really bug me, not people who are greedy from time to time, but people who integrate greed into their persona and their philosphies of life. Passion for their work is extinct. I don't care if investors make the world go 'round. I will do everything I can to avoid them when I start my business.

Regarding the form factor, it takes some design genius to make a PC like that work, if you still want it to have all the drives, buttons, cable connectors, slots, fans, etc., AND still be able to put a monitor on top, which DVD drive access, which some like to do, or place it on it's side. My point is that, yeah, they could be made but would they sell? Plus there are existing standards to think about regarding the size of cards, motherboards, power supplies, etc.

All I want is a small box to plug my stuff into -- networks, monitors, mouse, and a keyboard.

I hardly ever open up computers any more except to install larger hard drives. I use the USB ports for most everything, including boots of new operating systems.

The machine I'm using now had a broken CD/RW for several months before I came across another and bothered to install it. I do, however, have other machines that read and write most everything -- from eight inch floppies to DVDs -- so I'm not wanting.

If I ever come across an abandoned paper tape machine I'll probably get that working too...

Not so much because I want to be, but out of financial necessity. Since I work in I.T. there's always a lot of old equipment being thrown out that I can intercept. I'm not sure if I would mess with 8" floppies or tape drives though, to be totally honest.

I've given your idea a 2nd thought though. I like the small box concept. Added 'peripherals' if you want to call them that, could be placed in more places, be more ubiquitous, and can be put in places like in cars, or wherever. Some computer controlled machines have entire PC motherboard in them, and connect to their own MCUs with USB, so it would definitely help if mainboards were reduced to a smaller form factor.

With some of my ideas for the device I'm working on, there would be a added market if it could be placed in cars.

I like the large boxes for a couple reasons. The first is cooling for high-end systems, but that's not really what you're talking about here I don't think.

The other is access, which you also address. But working on other people's computers, I am continually frustrated by those with small boxes, especially those mass-produced models that are made for Dell, et al so that the devices "just fit." A friend's computer that seems to have a constant slate of issues (mostly from kids messing with it, but still) drives me nuts because of how small it is. Almost everything I have to do with it tends to boil down to some hardware issue, and I dread the trip over there.

It all reminds me of when I first started learning to work on cars. Yeah, the '76 Chevy I had was the most fuel inefficient thing I've ever owned, and I'd *never* drive it today, but it was a dream to work on. I could crawl down inside the engine well and replace a timing chain or set of plugs in half an hour. The thing I drive now requires a person take off the quarter panels just to see some of the stuff that needs maintenance. And a lot of it requires special tools. It's so frustrating and such a consumer of time and effort (and sometimes blood) that I rarely bother and instead take it to the mechanic.

But I miss working on it myself.

I resist compact boxes for a similar reason. I don't want working on the internals, when necessary, to be relegated to a specialist simply because it's near impossible to do it myself. I *can* work on a laptop's internals if need be, but I don't like doing it at all. I rather enjoy opening up a desktop machine with at least some room to work and playing with its insides.

just to replace a hard drive then it's too damn small. I've had to remove the memory, disconnect cables and the power connector just so that I could slide the hard drive out of the drive bay.

manufacture of small form factor computers. The Mac Mini is a MacBook. Look at the specs.

You know ASUS and others bought iMacs and Mac Minis so they can take them apart to see how they put it all together. Compaq had their whole design team present to unbox and disassemble the first iMac. Even the packaging was of interest.

Yeah, I know all great products get inspected and reverse engineered like that.

The only 2nd thought I had when writing about this involved my experience with slow laptop hard drives.

I suppose (just a guess) iMacs use a full size hard drive to avoid the speed problem.

Soooo.... my initial points involved my thinking about preferred cases. With an iMac, it's sort of irrelevant since there is no case dedicated to the computer. As far as desktops go, yeah, I agree the iMac design makes total sense.

In some instances, one might want a case. In those 'cases' prefered size is relative to how the computer's being used. I have my own applications that would not require a monitor at all.

the 7200, the MacBook and Mini use 5400. The MacBook Pro uses 7200. The Air uses solid state or a 4200.

I have a feeling the MacBook is going to take on the same form as the MacBook Air.