From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S265538AbTFMVmG (ORCPT ); Fri, 13 Jun 2003 17:42:06 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S265547AbTFMVmG (ORCPT ); Fri, 13 Jun 2003 17:42:06 -0400 Received: from carisma.slowglass.com ([195.224.96.167]:59398 "EHLO phoenix.infradead.org") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S265538AbTFMVlE (ORCPT ); Fri, 13 Jun 2003 17:41:04 -0400 Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2003 22:54:51 +0100 (BST) From: James Simmons To: John Bradford cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, Subject: Re: Real multi-user linux In-Reply-To: <200306132030.h5DKUYlu000211@81-2-122-30.bradfords.org.uk> Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org > > > So, instead of trying to add more and more terminals to a single box, > > > you could stick with four-headed X servers, which would probably be > > > more scalable. > > > The biggest limitation is the PCI bus. Only so many cards can go in. I > > guess you could fill the machine up with graphics cards and go with > > external USB audio and TV tuner cards. One to match each graphics card. > > No need: > > A single machine can support four displays, keyboards, and mice easily. We > can use such machines as X servers for four people. Each one can be connected > via Ethernet to the Linux supercomputer. That way you get the cost advantages > of the multi-headed setup, with the scalability of the X server setup. I think > you could scale to 64 or 128 users like that. Basically you are describing a thin client kind of model. I like to create high end thin clients but I don't have any funding. Currently thin clients don't have the power to do multi-media as well as PCs. I did everything so far with my own money and time. I don't think we need a supercomputer. Here is a idea but it would require a good amount of work. Create a X server that runs on one remote server and it programs the hardware remotely. Now that would save enormously. I started to work on this but didn't have time. Just some ideas to throw at you.