| Low-cost, multi-user desktop PC upgrade goes Linux |
Apr. 27, 2006
 NComputing is shipping a multi-user Linux PC expansion kit targeting the global education market. The company's Xtenda X300 expansion kit allows a single Linux PC to support up to six additional users, at a cost of around $83 per added user (plus monitor, keyboard, and mouse).
(Click for larger view of Xtensa X300)
NComputing says its Xtenda X300 kit has previously been used with Windows hosts in some 80 school districts in the U.S., but that it will market the product with Linux in the global education market. It has already signed up South African distributor Yellow Penguin, which will sell and support the product under Linspire Linux.
NComputing's Xtenda X300 kit comprises a PCI card with three RJ-45 ports, along with three small "terminal boxes" that connect to the PCI card via standard networking cable. Each terminal box offers ports to attach a local PS/2 keyboard and mouse, speakers, and an SVGA (800 x 600) or XGA (1024 x 768) monitor (16-bit color depth, or 65,536 colors, is supported).
NComputing's X300 kit allows four users to share one PC
Two kits can be installed in a single PC, to support up to seven users, including one on the host system and six remote users. All users enjoy equal access to the PC's resources. NComputing recommends a 1.3GHz Pentium 4 or AMD equivalent for a single-kit setup, or 2.4GHz or better Pentium 4/AMD for two-kit use.
Read more about this interesting approach to low cost multi-user Linux desktop computing at LinuxDevices.com, here
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