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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>That site is being blocked by my surf
protection filter as being pornography. Their prices must be indecent! ;-)</span></font></p>
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Larry</span></font></p>
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style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b>
tclug-list-bounces@mn-linux.org [mailto:tclug-list-bounces@mn-linux.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>J Cruit<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> </span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Tuesday,
October 02, 2007</span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> </span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>7:24 PM</span></font><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> tclug-list@mn-linux.org<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: [tclug-list] Zonbu</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Cool beans, just to
update you the site is now: <a
href="http://www.dataevolution.com/dectop%20info%202.htm" target="_blank"
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://www.dataevolution.com/dectop%20info%202.htm
</a>as apparently they bought Norhtek. And the device is a dectop for
only 99$ (or buy 3 get one free, anybody want to split an order?). So
other than the fact that it doesn't have a flash drive as a hard drive and
starts out at 128MB of memory thats a pretty good deal. But you can swap
out the hard drive for a larger one and upgrade the memory too if you
want. Plus the Norhtek sounds like it uses an AMD chip so there may be
better compatibility than the unknown one in the Zonbu. Plus the Zonbu is
theoretically "greener". <br>
<br>
But at 99$ versus 249$ I'm probably down with the Norhtek. Any other
super small cheap systems out there?<br>
<br>
<span class=sg>--j</span></span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=gmailquote><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>On </span></font></span><span
class=gmailquote>10/2/07</span><span class=gmailquote>, <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>Spence Morris</span></b> <<a
href="mailto:spence.morris@gmail.com">spence.morris@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Zonbu is pretty much a
generic unit with their own variant of Linux tacked on.<br>
The idea of the network being the computer has yet to fully prove itself><br>
There are other mini pc builders with fewer hooks and agendas- re again,
Norhtek- <br>
based in </span></font>Thailand. Michael C. Barnes sells a lot of his units
here- At last look,<br>
he had four or five nice models to choose from and good ideas about use.<br>
Check out <a href="http://Norhtek.com" target="_blank"
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Norhtek.com</a> before
investing in Zonbu. </p>
<div><span id="q_11562a4161a6bbc1_1">
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=gmailquote><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>On </span></font></span><span
class=gmailquote>10/2/07</span><span class=gmailquote>, <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>J Cruit</span></b> <<a href="mailto:j@packetgod.com"
target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
j@packetgod.com</a>> wrote:</span></span></p>
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<blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;
margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in'>
<div><span id="q_11562a4161a6bbc1_3">
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=e><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>So I e-mailed Zonbu and got a quick response, I think
this may be the exact platform I've been looking for to use for a small quiet
Mythfrontend system. I'll have to figure out some sort of USB remote, and
my TV does actually have a VGA input so I should be good there. My other
options were a repurposed MacMini, a shuttle SD02 for 499$ (without
memory, HD, Processor, etc but with a remote port). </span></font></span><br>
<br>
<span class=e>This is the response from Zonbu:</span><br>
<br>
<span class=e>"Yes, you are free to do as you wish with the Zonbu
hardware. While we do not and cannot officially support running alternate OSes
on the Zonbu hardware, several users have reported successfully installing
other OSes (e.g. Ubuntu Linux) on the hardware without any problems"</span><br>
<br>
<span class=e>Hey, thanks much TCLUG for putting me onto this.</span><br>
<br>
<span class=e>--j</span></p>
<div>
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face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span class=gmailquote><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>On </span></font></span><span
class=gmailquote>10/2/07</span><span class=gmailquote>, <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>J </span></b><<a href="mailto:j@packetgod.com"
target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">j@packetgod.com</a>>
wrote:</span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>I'm tempted to hit this for their "249$ without service plan"
and wipe <br>
it clean with my own distro. They must be using commodity hardware
and<br>
many of those SFF PC cases start at 100$ for something 10 times the<br>
size. Small ones like the Zonbu are generally even more just for the<br>
case. So a complete Linux friendly SFF quiet environmentally
friendly<br>
PC for 249$, while a bit light on the specs I wouldn't mind running a<br>
little home web/e-mail/SSH server off of it or perhaps just a mythfrontend? <br>
<br>
I think I'll do it, buy it and see if I can load my own distro by hook<br>
or by crook. I'm hoping by crook as I haven't had a good project for
a<br>
while.<br>
<br>
--j<br>
<br>
Steve Cayford wrote:<br>
> Chris Frederick wrote: <br>
><br>
>> G. Scott Walters wrote:<br>
>><br>
>>> Anyone ever heard of Zonbu?<br>
>>><br>
>> [...]<br>
>><br>
><br>
><br>
>> Looks interesting. I've been looking at small form factor
PCs for a <br>
>> while. They look very similar to these:<br>
>><br>
>> <a href="http://logisysus.com/product/smallest-pc.htm" target="_blank"
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://logisysus.com/product/smallest-pc.htm
</a><br>
>><br>
>> >From the Zonbu site: <br>
>><br>
>> Zonbu Desktop, Standard plan, Billing every two years = $412.95<br>
>><br>
>> Thats standard options after all discounts, plus $358.80 after two
years<br>
>> for more support. Also, their "Cancel anytime
policy" warns that if you <br>
>> cancel the membership service, your device will not give you access to<br>
>> your data after 3 months. They do have a free/no support
option, but<br>
>> I'd probably want to talk to a sales person before I went with that. <br>
>><br>
>> I guess it depends on what their support covers, but I don't see much<br>
>> there that strikes me as worth $180 a year.<br>
>><br>
>> >From their site:<br>
>><br>
>> Disaster proof storage - Very doable and cheap. <br>
>> Free automatic software upgrades - Most linux distros have this.<br>
>> Unlimited Internet support - You are reading this on a mailing list. ;-)<br>
>> Remote file access "anywhere, anytime, any browser (no
plugins)" - That <br>
>> just sounds scary to me.<br>
>> Overnight free hardware replacement limited warranty - Nice, but
that's<br>
>> an extra $60 a year.<br>
>><br>
>> My $0.02 would be that everything looks nice, but personally I'd
rather <br>
>> pay more up front for something without a huge service contract, or<br>
>> required membership service.<br>
>><br>
>> ymmv,<br>
>> Chris Frederick<br>
>><br>
><br>
> It seems to me that there could be a pretty good market for something <br>
> like this. Not for us on this list, but for the proverbial "my<br>
> grandmother." Folks who want a web browser, email, office suite, and<br>
> some basic games and who don't want to deal with updates, spyware, <br>
> system administration, etc. Considering how much people spend on<br>
> services like Geek Squad the rates don't seem too outrageous.<br>
><br>
> -Steve<br>
><br>
> _______________________________________________ <br>
> TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, </span></font>Minnesota<br>
> <a href="mailto:tclug-list@mn-linux.org" target="_blank"
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">tclug-list@mn-linux.org</a><br>
> <a href="http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list"
target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list
</a><br>
><br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota<br>
<a href="mailto:tclug-list@mn-linux.org" target="_blank"
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">tclug-list@mn-linux.org</a><br>
<a href="http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list"
target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list</a></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>_______________________________________________<br>
<span class=q>TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, </span></span></font><span
class=q>Minnesota</span><br>
<span class=q><a href="mailto:tclug-list@mn-linux.org" target="_blank"
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">tclug-list@mn-linux.org</a></span><br>
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