[DC LoCo] Suggestions for Inexpensive, Linux-friendly mini?

Robert Simmons rsimmons0 at gmail.com
Thu Jan 19 17:36:54 UTC 2012


On Thu, Jan 19, 2012 at 11:20 AM, Thomas Gideon
<cmdln at thecommandline.net> wrote:
> My wife's hand me down computer appears to have just bit the dust,
> hard. It is an out of warranty MacBook Pro so the most I am willing to
> do is try to get her files off of it.
>
> I do not have another system ready to re-install and transfer her
> files to so find myself looking at a new desktop computer purchase for
> the first time in a few years.
>
> Any recommendations for inexpensive, small footprint machines that
> will work with Linux right out of the box? I use Kubuntu on my own
> machines but would be fine supporting a stock install on this machine
> if that makes a difference.
>
> I've been searching the web and have come up dry on any ringing
> endorsements so far.

The EeeBox series of minis from Asus are fantastic.  I've set my mom
up with this one:
http://usa.asus.com/Eee/EeeBox_PC/EeeBox_PC_EB1007/

This is the specific one that I ordered:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883220066

The version of linux that it comes with is not very good, but I
installed Kubuntu with no problems.  I also added an SSD drive to it
and maxed out the memory, so it is very fast.  If I were to make that
decision again, I would probably put a larger hybrid SSD in it rather
than a full SSD because you get pretty much the same performance but
still get a 500+GB drive to use.  I've more recently installed a
Momentus XT hybrid SSD in one of my laptops and I couldn't be happier.
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/products/laptops/laptop-hdd/

This is the drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148591

But I bought mine by searching on pricewatch.com for the place with
the lowest price:
http://www.pricewatch.com/gallery/hard_removable_drives/ssd_hybrid

However, just doing a cursory search, it looks like Google product
search is listing much better prices than Pricewatch for this:
http://goo.gl/IV3Vd

Also, for the EeeBox, it looks like Google has some really good prices as well:
http://goo.gl/e0o9T

I'm sure you have opinions on memory manufacturers, but I've never had
a problem with Crucial:
http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=Eee%20Box%20EB1007&Cat=RAM



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