My former Linux Workstation

(6.9.2002 - 27.5.2008)

My Linux Workstation

Its Components

Power Supply: Enermax EG365P-VE FMA

(Sep 2002)

A very calm power supply with large (92mm), monitored and speed adjustable bottom fan. It handles short-circuits, too.

Mainboard: MSI 845E Max2-L

(Sep 2002)

CPU: Intel Pentium 4 1.8aGHz (Northwood) (boxed)

(Sep 2002)

Memory: 512MB DDR-266 NoName + 256MB DDR-266 NoName

(Mar 2003)

Currently I'm using 512MB, which is the lowest end.

Graphics card: Asus V 3800

(Nov 2007)

This card is quite old, but much faster than my previous ATI XPert 2000. Thanks to it, I can use Google Earth now.

Its chipset is an nVidia TNT2, for which nVidia offeres official drivers for Linux.

If someone develops a fast Xgl-Server, it could display all the cool Compiz-Effects, too.

Monitor: ilyama VisionMaster PRo 410

(Jan 2007)

Running 1600x1200 with 75Hz is coooooooool!

Case: EYE-910

(Sep 2002)

SATA Controller: DeLock 70096

(Nov 2007)

This is the kind of hardware, you need in 2007 to achive good speeds. Thanks to it, my five year old workstation is now almost as fast as a new 2007 computer.

Of course, it works under Linux.

Harddisk: Samsung HD501LJ

(Nov 2007)

500GB and speed without limits! The fastest and probably even one of the best (in terms of error correction) DVD burners on the market

Backup: ViPower VP-1028 LSF + Samsung SP0802N

(Jul 2004)

Soundcard: Soundblaster PCI 128

(Feb 1999)

Works flawlessly. Good sound and no problems at all.

Loudspeaker: WaveMaster 300

(Jan 1999)

Rather simple 2-way speakers with "DSP processor". Reliable.

TV card: Hauppauge WinTV

(Apr 2007)

A top scanner, 1a scans, runs perfectly under Linux

Network adapter: Intel Pro/100 onboard

(Sep 2002)

FireWire Controller: NoName M1394-301 with VIA Chipset

(Jun 2004)

Keyboard: Logitech Internet Navigator Special Edition

(Mai 2004)

A fully featured keyboard. I like the volume wheel and the scroll wheel on the left. If its connected via USB, everything works out-of-the-box when using Kernel 2.6 and Gnome 2.6

Mouse: Typhoon Cordless Optical Wheel (Conrad 954184 - 62)

(Dec 2002)

After years of stuggling with ball-mouses, and at the same time very pleasant experiences, I got myself for approx. US$30 a wireless optical mouse.

Working hour meter: MotoMeter

(Jul 2002)

A truely cool device of the good old days. A quartz clock counts the minutes (analog) and the hours (digital). The only thing, I still have to do, is to mount this meter in the case. It would look deadly cool.
The device on the photo does not exacly look like mine (mine is from MotoMeter, has got its numbers above the hand and has got a chrome ring), but you can get an idea, how it looks like.

DCF77 Receiver: selfmade (config.)

(Jun 2000)

For only DEM 25 (approx US$ 12), my workstation now runs with atomic precision time from the german time transmitter DCF77. With only thirty minutes of soldering and another twenty minutes of installing NTP4, my machine is a true Stratum 1 server.

Operating System: Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon (7.10)

(Nov 2007)

After using Fedora for seven years, I switched from this rather conservative distribution to Ubuntu, which is not only bleeding edge, but also extremely easy to maintain. If you need a synonym for "Plug and Play", I'd suggest "Ubuntu".

From the very first day, I used Ubuntu at work, I knew, that I have to use it at home, too. It is very fast, offers even more Software than Fedora and has got a very, very active and supporting community.

The Metatechnical Cabinet

My former Linux Workstation

Its Components