---- Original message ---- >Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 07:01:52 -0400 >From: Nick Holland <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: OpenBSD/Networking noobie: home micro-server setup? >To: misc <misc@openbsd.org> > ... > >CAN you do those things? Sure. >SHOULD you? I wouldn't recommend it. > >If you are a relative new user of OpenBSD, get a normal, used, computer. > You should be able to pick up a 400MHz i386 machine for just about >free. You will find it considerably more "normal" than a Soekris board, >and while yes, it will draw more electricity, you will probably be able >to run it for a couple years before the electricity costs you what the >Soekris costs to purchase. > >You can learn OpenBSD, learn what you wish to do with the system, and >become more familiar with OpenBSD before you try to tackle a somewhat >"different" system. Trying to learn a system you haven't worked with at >the same time you are learning an OS you haven't worked much with could >be very frustrating. > >Plus, if you wish to do PPPoE, you may find the Soekris machines >horribly underpowered. >
i second nick's suggestion: acquire a crapbox and setup your test machine on that. purchasing a soekris is a really bad investment considering that it's horribly underpowered, costs > 200 usd new, doesn't nicely accomodate a hard drive, cannot easily accept PCI cards, and a mini-itx machine, as suggested earlier, would get you much more bang for the same buck. if size isn't an issue and the power of christ compels you to purchase a new machine, perhaps an asus c3 terminator would suit you. after having purchased a soekris 4801 and a couple mini-itx machines myself, i would opt for the crapbox route since it has the lowest fixed cost. cheers, jake >Nick.
