Mock Mainframe

Stupid boy · Post by **Stupid boy** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:15 am

I want to do something like this. Here's my exact idea:

Loud (by SPCR standards) PC in the basement
Silent (with no moving parts) mini-ITX PCs in my office and wherever else someone will want to use the computer in Linux

For most of my computer usage, this should be fine. The only small problem will be playing games in Windoze; I have not yet found a way to set up a mock mainframe in Windoze. I have tried using tightvnc to control the game remotely, but tightvnc closes when I open the game. Obviously, the program isn't designed to run games. It's not a big deal, however, because I can just boot the mainframe into Windoze when I want to play games and use the mainframe. I can deal this small problem, but please post any ideas you have about getting around it.

More importantly, I want some advice for building the mini-ITX PC. When I Googled for "mini-itx silent," the first result I got was this diskless system. I also found a fanless system at the DSL store. As they're from the DSL store, they should be well supported in Linux. Does anyone see any problems with these, and can I make one that's significantly cheaper?

arrikhan · Post by **arrikhan** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:55 pm

So you want to emulate a mainframe, just with graphics?

If you're planning on running games remotely, you're going to run into a few problems with frame rates being pumped down a network I suspect.

What kind of games are you looking at here? Because I know for a fact that you can play solitaire using Citrix Metaframe & VNC

One thing I haven't seen tried is X-Windows with Linux games using an X-client. Maybe someone here knows more.. but that could work, but of course you would be limited to Linux games too.. !

Good luck .. as I believe you can do everything you want, except the one you've got problems with. You might be playing games in the basement I think

... but I look on with anticipation

Arrikhan

Stupid boy · Post by **Stupid boy** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 6:22 pm

arrikhan wrote:So you want to emulate a mainframe, just with graphics?

If you're planning on running games remotely, you're going to run into a few problems with frame rates being pumped down a network I suspect.

What kind of games are you looking at here? Because I know for a fact that you can play solitaire using Citrix Metaframe & VNC :D

One thing I haven't seen tried is X-Windows with Linux games using an X-client. Maybe someone here knows more.. but that could work, but of course you would be limited to Linux games too.. !

Good luck .. as I believe you can do everything you want, except the one you've got problems with. You might be playing games in the basement I think :? ... but I look on with anticipation :)

Arrikhan

I don't mind playing games in the basement and doing work upstairs; I posted here for advice about the hardware. Nobody said anything, so I guess the one from the DSL store is a good choice.

Tibors · Post by **Tibors** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 7:00 pm

The Bargain Fanless is a pretty good deal. You might get a system for a little less if you go the sempron route, but that won't be as compact as this one. Notice it doesn't come with memory. (The diskless system does include it, but that one has one fan.)

As for linux support: That Realtek network chip is pretty standard. The VT8235 & CLE266 chipset is well supported too, except the MPEG acceleration, which works only for certain linux distros (see VIA website).