> >>>>> "Jim" == Jim Blaney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > Jim> Can anyone give me non-emotional advice on whether Linux > Jim> would install "much easier" on an apple system than on an > Jim> intel box? > > Since you asked for advice, here's mine: Buy an intel box consisting > exclusively of inexpensive components. You're almost certain not to > have any trouble. For example: standard no-name PCI motherboard with > 256K synchronous cache, Intel or AMD Pentium-type chip (midrange Hz is
Good post; I agree. My own server machine here at home (very non-critical) has two IDE hard drives and a SCSI CD-ROM, all attached to a VLB SCSI/IDE controller which I bought out of the junk basket from a local electronics store for $5. Works great under Linux. The rest of the system is a 486-33 motherboard and cpu I got for nothing, 12mb of RAM, 4mb in 30 pin simms, cranky old IDEs, a soundblaster cdrom, etc. Linux works well on it. Not for development for me, but a good web/smb/netware/print server. But I think you're overlooking the Cyrix unfairly. A Cyrix 6x86-P166 costs about 1/3rd of the price of a Pentium 166 here in Australia, and according to the benchmarks, integer performance exceeds the Intel chip. In real life, the P166+ offers far better value for money than the Pentium 166, unless you intend to do a lot of stuff which can benefit from the Intel's few true advantages: faster FPU, different memory optimisations, etc. I've been using such a system as my own workstation, under DOS, Linux, Win95, and OS/2 Warp4 for several months and it's terrific. Intel's prices are extortion in comparison. I could not justify the price of Pentium 166 and would probably be using a Pentium 120 if it weren't for Cyrix. To date, AMD K5 chips are only available in fairly low speeds, Pentium 100 equivalent or so. Pentium 100 seems to be a little below entry level here now. hamish -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
