[aprssig] Re: Ubuntu/Kubuntu (was:The new D710 and Smart Beaconing?

[Mark Fellhauer]

At 11:31 AM 5/23/2007, Earl Needham via Kubuntu wrote:



>         I'm just getting started with Kubuntu and Xastir, we'll see how 
> THAT goes
>over the next few weeks.  I notice I have a SmartBeaconing setup there, too.


I found a need at work for a small PC that I can access over the 
Internet.  I went with a Mini-ITX Epia MII 12000 motherboard (I had one 
laying around) in a Mini-Box M200 case with a PicoPSU 120 power supply.   I 
added a Transcend 4 GB solid state IDE module.   Cost always being a 
factor, I really didn't want to waste an OEM copy of XP on this box, so I 
decided to try a copy of Ubuntu 7.04.   Although I've dabbled with Linux in 
the past, it's always been a real hassle getting it to work, but this 
install went flawlessly.   It even works well on the few laptops I've 
tried.  The only issue I ran into was with a Hyundai LCD monitor that 
Ubuntu would only configure to 800x600 pixels.  Some editing of the proper 
config file fixed this in a few minutes.  My problem is a lack of 
familiarity with Ubuntu and most of the time I spent was to figure out how 
to use sudo with gedit to get permission to edit the xorg.conf 
file...   Tomorrow (actually later today, now) I'm replacing the Epia 
motherboard with a Jetway C7 fanless mobo, for a fanless and diskless 
solution.

The best part is Ubuntu has VNC built in, so it's just a matter of 
configuring it.   This is a really small computer at 8" x 9.5" x 2.25" and 
it runs on 12 volts.  I'll probably end up building several of these to 
install at client sites.

For those of you who haven't tried Linux yet, or need to build a computer 
just for things like email, surfing the web, and word processing, Ubuntu 
just might be what you're looking for.   Oh, and you could use it for APRS 
and ham radio, too.

73,

Mark
KC7BXS