[DC LoCo] Suggestions for Inexpensive, Linux-friendly mini?

[Thomas Gideon]

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On 01/19/2012 02:51 PM, Thomas Gideon wrote:
> On 01/19/2012 12:36 PM, Robert Simmons wrote:
>> On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 11:20 AM, Thomas Gideon 
>> <cmdln at thecommandline.net> wrote:
>>> My wife's hand me down computer appears to have just bit the 
>>> dust, hard. It is an out of warranty MacBook Pro so the most I
>>> am willing to do is try to get her files off of it.
>>> 
>>> I do not have another system ready to re-install and transfer 
>>> her files to so find myself looking at a new desktop computer 
>>> purchase for the first time in a few years.
>>> 
>>> Any recommendations for inexpensive, small footprint machines 
>>> that will work with Linux right out of the box? I use Kubuntu
>>> on my own machines but would be fine supporting a stock install
>>> on this machine if that makes a difference.
>>> 
>>> I've been searching the web and have come up dry on any ringing
>>>  endorsements so far.
> 
>> The EeeBox series of minis from Asus are fantastic.  I've set my 
>> mom up with this one: 
>> http://usa.asus.com/Eee/EeeBox_PC/EeeBox_PC_EB1007/
> 
>> This is the specific one that I ordered: 
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883220066
> 
>> The version of linux that it comes with is not very good, but I 
>> installed Kubuntu with no problems.  I also added an SSD drive
>> to it and maxed out the memory, so it is very fast.  If I were to
>> make that decision again, I would probably put a larger hybrid
>> SSD in it rather than a full SSD because you get pretty much the
>> same performance but still get a 500+GB drive to use.  I've more 
>> recently installed a Momentus XT hybrid SSD in one of my laptops 
>> and I couldn't be happier. 
>> http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/laptops/laptop-hdd/
> 
>> This is the drive: 
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148591
> 
>> But I bought mine by searching on pricewatch.com for the place 
>> with the lowest price: 
>> http://www.pricewatch.com/gallery/hard_removable_drives/ssd_hybrid
>
>>  However, just doing a cursory search, it looks like Google
>> product search is listing much better prices than Pricewatch for
>> this: http://goo.gl/IV3Vd
> 
>> Also, for the EeeBox, it looks like Google has some really good 
>> prices as well: http://goo.gl/e0o9T
> 
>> I'm sure you have opinions on memory manufacturers, but I've
>> never had a problem with Crucial: 
>> http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Eee%20Box%20EB1007&Cat=RAM
>
>> 
> Robert,
> 
> thanks. This is the option with which I am going. I'll hold off on
> any upgrades until she's had a chance to use it and we can figure
> out what, if anything, will be worth the additional money.
> 
> I was even able to find a decent 22in monitor to order along with
> it and come out at less than $500.
> 
> One final question. Do I need a video cable or adapter? The monitor
> in question has VGA and DVI and I have spare VGA cables, not sure I
> have any DVI cables. The specs on the Asus site mention d-sub--is
> there a converter for that?

Never mind, answered my own question regarding the video connection.
Hadn't heard a VGA connector referred to as a d-sub before but
Wikipedia cleared that up for me. And looking more closely at the
product photos at Asus it is clear the particular style of d-sub in
question is the common variation used for VGA.


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