When recently, Microsoft released the estimated pricing for their yet to be released OS Vista, I had wondered aloud whether it is right to price an OS at par with or even more than the cost of the hardware on which it runs. And rightly so, the cost of hardware is dropping by leaps and bounds.
A Taiwanese hardware manufacturer is shipping a Linux powered PC (code named TU-40) for just (US)$99. The specification of the PC is modest and it runs with 128 MB RAM and has a 200 MHz processor. The company claims this is enough power to run lightweight GNU/Linux distributions.
Fig: Front and backside of the PCThe exact specifications of the PC are as follows :
- 15-pin D-type female VGA connector
- 10/100 Ethernet
- 44-pin EIDE interface header
- CompactFlash Type I/II slot
- 2 front and 1 rear totalling 3 USB ports
- PS/2 keyboard and 6-pin mini-DIN mouse port
- AMI BIOS
- Battery-backed RTC (real-time clock)
- AC-97 V2.1 compliant CODEC
- MIC-in & line-out phone jacks
- 0 to 108 deg F (0 to 60 deg C) operating range
Fig: The actual size of the PC
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