From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
From: jmk@plan9.bell-labs.com
To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: Re: [9fans] architectures
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Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 12:27:18 -0400
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On Wed Jul 11 11:03:23 EDT 2001, matt@proweb.co.uk wrote:
> bit of a waste of the screen
>
> what about something like this:
>
> http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT2683549967.html
>

We have built a little box like that with a PowerPC in it and 2 Ethernet
ports which runs Plan 9 and is used in various VPN applications. Parts cost
is under $100.

The problem with all these devices is that they almost have the ports you
want but not quite and their inflexibility limits the new applications you
can apply them to. Although it's based on the same old x86 stuff we love
to hate, something like the Shuttle FV24 motherboard (about 7inches square)
with a >600MHz processor or and 256MB memory would cost <$250 (without case
or power supply) and give you all the I/O you want plus 1 PCI slot for
the stuff you hadn't thought of yet.