[9fans] The $200 walmart "gPC"

ron minnich

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Feb 1, 2008, 12:34:36 AM2/1/08

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seems to run Plan 9 right out of the box. It's an rtl8139, the
graphics work, I am going to transplant the drives to it tomorrow and
see if it all continues to "just work". But the Plan 9 install CD
booted and ran just fine. Seems like a nice fast little machine for
Plan 9. Of course, Plan 9 has graphics up and running before the
delivered OS can get to the point of saying "what language do you
tawk" but that's to be expected.

Nice, I thought I was going to have to host plan 9 under a VM, but it
appears I can just run it.

I did have to make one improvement, however: I had to take a
screwdrive and slash it through the "touch this sticker and void your
warranty" stickers. Standards must, after all, be upheld.

Anybody want a "google desktop" cd :-)

ron

John Barham

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Feb 1, 2008, 12:48:25 AM2/1/08

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> Seems like a nice fast little machine for Plan 9.

Dirt cheap too. Even w/ Fry's specials it would be hard to put
together a comparable machine for that amount.

Given that it has VIA's C7 chip which has extra instructions for
crypto, including SHA1
(http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/padlock/), it should make a nice
venti server--although you would probably need to upgrade the 80 GB
drive... What would be involved in patching Plan 9's libsec to use
the C7's crypto instructions?

John

Pietro Gagliardi

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Feb 1, 2008, 6:20:15 AM2/1/08

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Strange, I looked at the manufacturer's website - not a mention of
Plan 9.

Charles Forsyth

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Feb 1, 2008, 6:33:48 AM2/1/08

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> What would be involved in patching Plan 9's libsec to use
> the C7's crypto instructions?

it didn't look too hard, but there's a bit of work to do in the kernel
to enable it (and enable sse for some instructions).
are there similar things on intel and amd? i haven't really kept up.
no doubt they all use different instructions and conventions so
we'll need an array of implementations.

Charles Forsyth

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Feb 1, 2008, 6:35:53 AM2/1/08

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>> Seems like a nice fast little machine for Plan 9.
>

> Dirt cheap too. ...

given its spec i was amused by the reviews that refer to it as `underpowered'
(although even Linux should be fine on that)

mattm...@proweb.co.uk

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Feb 1, 2008, 7:11:46 AM2/1/08

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I've been using a passively cooled 500Mhz C7 in my EPIA 5000 for a few
years as a CPU/Auth see 9fans passim for how pleased I am with it

erik quanstrom

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Feb 1, 2008, 7:20:49 AM2/1/08

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> Dirt cheap too. Even w/ Fry's specials it would be hard to put
> together a comparable machine for that amount.
>
> Given that it has VIA's C7 chip which has extra instructions for
> crypto, including SHA1
> (http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/padlock/), it should make a nice
> venti server--although you would probably need to upgrade the 80 GB
> drive... What would be involved in patching Plan 9's libsec to use
> the C7's crypto instructions?

we have been getting similar machines for <$150. they're sold
as thin clients with a gigabyte mainboard and case. they pxe boot
but don't have power or room for a hard drive. they work
very well, but i don't think they would make very nice venti
servers with only 10/100 ethernet, regardless of the processor.
a single disk would scare me, too. i guess i'm just a paranoid
performance weenie.

- erik

ron minnich

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Feb 1, 2008, 12:05:47 PM2/1/08

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On Feb 1, 2008 3:41 AM, Charles Forsyth <for...@terzarima.net> wrote:

> no doubt they all use different instructions and conventions so
> we'll need an array of implementations.

oh yeah, they are all quite different.

Great fun, eh? And now there is a 64-bit via part.

ron