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A Minimum Viable Computer, or Linux for $15

bbenchoff.github.io

241–250 of 408 posts

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

#242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well said. It's a great project and impressive execution at $15! > While this is admirable as a proof of concept, I suspect that moving the price point up to, say, $30 could give a much more useful and hacker-friendly device. I agree. I think this project proves that ultra low cost is viable. Now relaxing the constraints a bit to add RAM and WiFi could iterate it right into an optimal spot. I wouldn't want to go much…

I think we've already got a pretty powerful computer at around the 40$ price point (the raspberrypi), and I feel like it'd be impossible to beat it given the scale raspberry pi is at.

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

#243
post #36

This is like the "budget" posts on /r/DIY: "porch renovation for only $200!" > proceeds to use the industrial sawmill they have in the garage that costs $100k

Not sure where you're getting that idea. All of the parts are purchased, then assembled. There's really no tooling beyond what most electronics enthusiasts would have at home.

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

#244
post #222

> It costs $10,000 USD to build one of these > The ten thousandth one costs $15 As a software engineer, I'm used to being able to build essentially whatever I want, with the only cost being my time. I'm often unpleasantly reminded that software is an outlier in that regard and as soon as physical items are concerned, especially hardware, it turns out that manufacturing even a simple thing is prohibitively expensive i…

It's actually not too bad to order custom pcbs now ($10 or less), but you do get raked over the coals if you need quality components in small quantities. Individual bulk caps can be several dollars.

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

#245

   
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Nice.

As a non-brogrammer, a battery-powered, pocket Linux/BSD computer without a "phone" built into it that boots from SD card/USB stick is exactly what I am looking for.

No GUI required.

Willing to pay more than $15.

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

#246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, much worse, because you are not able to lift it up in front of your eyes while typing.

Why not?

You can't hold it and type at the same time, this device has to be sitting on a surface to type.

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

#247

> That’s about it. Could you do all of this with a smartphone? Yeah, kinda, if you root prepaid Android phone, but even that would cost more than $30. You can almost certainly do better than $30 on local marketplaces, or by asking friends if they have a disused smartphone sitting around. reusing is absurdly cost efficient

It'd be great if there were some standardized way to turn older smartphones, whose on-paper computing power is astronomical, into viable Linux servers or controllers. I've got plenty of old shit phones around that barely respond to touch (or whose displays are just outright unusable) but I'm here considering a new rpi for my next project instead of repurposing one. There's also a ton of leftover supply of these thing…

For a server, I feel like termux might be sufficient?

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

#250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As long as wifi over USB is supported, why overcomplicate the core hardware? Sell a dongle as an add on option and make a little profit from it.

Because the point of something like this would be to be completely self contained. A shell in your pocket.

But but… you have a phone in there too… Which even on iOS has decent ssh clients.
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