[K12OSN] Anyone quantified savings using LTSP?

[Rob Owens]

ssh at tranquility.net wrote:
> On Mon, 2008-01-28 at 14:47 -0500, Rob Owens wrote:
> <snip>
> 
> 
>> The real alternative for us was putting laptops at each machine.  This 
>> ironically turned out to be cheaper--it's on sale for $528.  
> 
> Speaking of laptops, the best-suited laptop in the world for a machine
> shop would be a Panasonic Toughbook. This is the ruggedized laptop the
> military has used for years. Recent models are crazy expensive, but the
> most rugged version of all would make an excellent thin client. A CF-28
> was available in three models, 600mhz, 800mhz and 1ghz. All are PIII,
> all come with 256 meg onboard. It has a magnesium case, and I can (and
> have) stood on it. 
> 
> There was a dizzying array of options available including, modem,
> cell/analog connect (with a cool internal whip antenna), ethernet,
> internal GPS, all have two miniPCI slots. They have two traditional
> PCMCIA slots, and all CF-28 have a third hidden slot, that is often
> loaded with a Cisco 350 wifi card.
> 
> I got one for wardriving, and I am totally impressed. There are three
> keyboards available, I would avoid the full rubber backlit one, it is
> difficult to type on. They are very easy to work on, and some of the
> guys in a Toughbook forum go nuts adding stuff to it.
> 
> The reason I mention this, there has been a CF-28 feeding frenzy on
> Evilbay for the last few weeks. A couple of places are unloading a lot
> of them. The hard drive caddies are often missing as they were
> decommissioned, and that's an expensive foam and gel-padded item. For
> LTSP, no HD needed of course, so that would be a help. People are
> picking them up for under USD $200, but recent models are USD $3k and
> up.
> 
Thanks for the tip.  I worked at Panasonic in 1997-1998 and I remember a 
coworker got one of those for testing purposes.  He said you could drive 
a car over them.  I believe he tried it out in our parking lot, too.  I 
didn't witness it though.

-Rob
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