[svlug] linux system...

[Rick Moen]

begin Don Marti Uses GIFs on the Sly quotation:
 
> Is there a good book or web site that explains the types of RAM available?

Not really.  IBM had one (set of pages on RAM technnology) a couple of
years back, but I'm sure it's hopelessly out of date.  I'll see if I can
re-find it, anyhow.

> The original system is ATA (IDE); another one from the same vendor has
> the Symbios 53C895.
> 
> The last time I built a system myself, I used an Adaptec 29160, which
> is also good.  

Yes, I _think_ I'd be happy with either.

> All together now, "10k drives run hot...get a case with fans for the
> drives."

Indeed, that's one reason why I don't go with this mid-tower stuff, but
instead by preference use full-sized towers.

> PCP&C also makes a "Silencer" power supply that is a little quieter than
> usual, although it seems like good system building practice now includes
> a front panel fan which is damn noisy. And if you're running 10k drives
> with the fans that _those_ need, you might as well get a regula power
> supply.

Both the TurboCool and Silencer lines are available at Central Computer,
note.

> It seems like a lot of vendors use ATA CDROMs even on otherwise all-SCSI
> systems.  I built a box like this and it works fine for me.

Because of some problems reported by Richard Couture with a couple of
past motherboard chipsets (otherwise fine motherboards such as FICs)
when he used both ATA and SCSI simultaenously, but not when he didn't 
-- and just on instinct -- I'm inclined to not mix the two.  Also:

> CDRs still don't run cool enough to mount inside the case, do they? 

It's an extra heat load that I find difficult to justify, which implies
putting them in an external drive box, which in turn generally implies 
SCSI (because ATA's support for external connections is somewhere
between weak and nonexistent).  So, if you're going to have one slow
device on a SCSI chain, why not have both such devices (i.e., the
read-only CD-ROM drive as well) be on SCSI?

> I heard good things about the Mackie SRM450s (bi-amped powered speakers)
> at South by Southwest...
> http://mackie.com/Products/Active/SRM450/SRM450specs.asp 

Worth looking at.  I don't know anything about them.  It's arguably a
matter of taste.  Last time, I ended up getting a pair of Yamahas.

-- 
Cheers,              "Not using Microsoft products is like being a non-smoker 
Rick Moen           40 or 50 years ago:  You can choose not to smoke, yourself,
rick at linuxmafia.com  but it's hard to avoid second-hand smoke."  -- M. Tiemann