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A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

bbenchoff.github.io

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Re: A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

#141

Post by sangnoir »

ant6n wrote: post #115
kache_ wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ah, someone who shares my disdain for "hacker" "news"

Yet here you are

There are some real gems & genuine insight to be found. But the comments still follow a Pareto distribution and there's a lot that is worth disdain[1], IMO.

Besides, I found it's better when I don't take HN too seriously; I now often enjoy HN the way I "enjoy" Curb Your Enthusiasm

1. Often as a top comment too! A lot of inaccurate, stripped-of-nuance or outright ignorant hot takes get voted up if they confirm the biases of the majority of HN users.

Re: A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

#143

Post by nousermane »

cwt137 wrote: post #87
sokoloff wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wonder what would be achievable, around the $15 mark WITHOUT needing a minimum order of 1000? A Raspberry Pi Zero?

Raspberry Pi Foundation does the "minimum order of 1000" and passes the savings on to you. Try and buy all the individual components of a RPi Zero and see how much it costs. It is way more than $15. P.S. The RPi Zero does not come with a display and keyboard like the computer in this article does. So, we are talking about two different types of computers.

$15 is a pretty good guess for per-unit cost of mass-produced RPi0, I reckon.

Look at the price of "WH" version with superficial changes that cost pennies to add (wifi chip and 0.1" header), and (used to be) easily obtainable with no limit on the order size. Or, at least that was the status quo before the the great chip shortage of 2021.

Re: A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

#144

Post by sigmaprimus »

undecisive wrote: post #25

> I’m changing the title of this page just to screw with mods on the orange website Loving it! What orange website could they be talking about? I wonder what would be achievable, around the $15 mark WITHOUT needing a minimum order of 1000? (Presuming access to a 3d printer and a reasonably cheap PCB fab company)

I don't get it, is this just some sort of experiment for messing with forums or is there an actual product here?

I can't even buy a keyboard for $15 anymore since inflation took off.

So yeah if in fact this is a real product I'll throw a few bucks at it to help make it happen.

Re: A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

#145

Post by vagrantJin »

CyberRabbi wrote: post #120
undecisive wrote: post #25

> I’m changing the title of this page just to screw with mods on the orange website Loving it! What orange website could they be talking about? I wonder what would be achievable, around the $15 mark WITHOUT needing a minimum order of 1000? (Presuming access to a 3d printer and a reasonably cheap PCB fab company)

What is the recent trend of website users not using the actual names of the websites they use? >the orange site >the bird site Are these pet names? Is this passive aggressive contempt? Or is this an inside joke that I don’t get?

I would skew towards inside joke pet names

For a few reasons.

Firstly, sometimes a shot needs to be taken at said websites and there are people who work there who will be reading it.

Secondly, because inside jokes are the best jokes.

Re: A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

#146

Post by numpad0 »

guessbest wrote: post #59

We had something like this in 2001. It was called the Agenda vr3 and it ran a full X session with the FLTK in 16meg of RAM. However, the history of PDA's that run linux is mostly lost since LinuxDevices.com doesn't really exist anymore. I owned several of these including Agenda VR3, Vtech Helio, Zaurus, etc. It was quite a nice system even without wireless unless you count IrDA. It used FTP over RS-232 for installing…

Someone had XFree86 Server ported to Zaurus' Qtopia environment as an app. I didn't understand what `export DISPLAY=:0` meant back then but I could just do that. That was objectively far more awesome compared to their later Windows Mobile offerings developed in cooperation with WILLCOM.

e: ran a search on my disk for "\.ipk" and got a few files. Emacs, gtk2, konqueror, minicom, nano, prism3 driver, xmms, XQt, Blackbox ... why did I have `make` for Zaurus!? There is no way I can satisfy GPL obligations but do anyone want these archived? Right now it's on a nonredundant storage.

Re: A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

#147

Post by tyho »

jsheard wrote: post #79
undecisive wrote: post #25

> I’m changing the title of this page just to screw with mods on the orange website Loving it! What orange website could they be talking about? I wonder what would be achievable, around the $15 mark WITHOUT needing a minimum order of 1000? (Presuming access to a 3d printer and a reasonably cheap PCB fab company)

Advanced HN mod troll: write a dozen slightly different titles and pick a random one on page load

Pick one deterministically based on src IP address for extra annoyance.

Re: A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

#148

Post by ghostly_s »

pronoiac wrote: post #33
wanderingjew wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mold for the silicon keyboard - the first five keyboards is going to be about $6k. After that, each keyboard is about a dollar a piece. Same with the plastic enclosure.

Going by their comment history, I think this is the article's author. You might want to make a top-level comment, like "This is the author, ask me anything".

Maybe they don't want people to ask them anything.

Re: A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

#149

Post by ghostly_s »

numpad0 wrote: post #134
wanderingjew wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mold for the silicon keyboard - the first five keyboards is going to be about $6k. After that, each keyboard is about a dollar a piece. Same with the plastic enclosure.

Enclosure at small scale can be 3D printed. Use FDM for mechanical fitment checks, then make in SLA resin printers for first couple clear case prototypes. I wish I could do keyboard as easy...

Sure, if you want an enclosure that looks and feels like shit.

Re: A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

#150

Post by vagrantJin »

sangnoir wrote: post #141
ant6n wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet here you are

There are some real gems & genuine insight to be found. But the comments still follow a Pareto distribution and there's a lot that is worth disdain[1], IMO. Besides, I found it's better when I don't take HN too seriously; I now often enjoy HN the way I "enjoy" Curb Your Enthusiasm 1. Often as a top comment too! A lot of inaccurate, stripped-of-nuance or outright ignorant hot takes get voted up if they confirm the bia…

Whatever you feelings may be, HN brings a breath of fresh air. Compared to other social media, its quite rare for commentary to devolve into nonsense.
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