Re: [gNewSense-users] gNewSense as lightweight PIM server on VIA ARTiGo or Lemote Yeeloong?

[Sam Geeraerts]

Pen-Yuan Hsing wrote:
> On the hardware side, I am looking at the VIA ARTiGO A1100 
> (http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/embedded/artigo/a1100/index.jsp), 
> with the following specifications:
>
> Mainboard: EPIA-P820
> Processor: 1.2 GHz VIA Nano (64-bit)
> Memory: 2 GB 200-pin DDR2 800 mHz
> Graphics: VIA Chrome9 3D/2D AGP Integrated Graphics
> LAN: VIA VT6122 10/100/1000
> Audio: VIA VT1708S 8 channel HD audio
> Wireless: VIA 802.11 b/g (not sure what model number)
> HDD: Transcend 32GB SSD or OWC Mercury 40GB Extreme Pro SSD
>
> Here's what I am wondering:
>
> Are the software and hardware solutions I stated above Free (as in 
> Freedom)? I know gNewSense is, but what about hardware support for the 
> A1100?

I assume that by "Free hardware solution" you mean for the hardware to 
be supported by Free drivers/firmware (as opposed to hardware with 
freely available schematics, e.g. Qi hardware [1]).

Via's drivers for the graphics are non-free, but gNewSense 2.x has the 
openChrome driver. I don't know what features it provides, but whatever 
it provides should be fully functional (we don't seem to rip anything 
Via-related from Linux).

I don't know about the other hardware components, but I'm not very 
hopeful about free software support.

> IF the hardware is not fully free, is there a viable alternative of a 
> similar, tiny form factor? Perhaps something similar to the Lemote 
> Yeeloong but not a netbook? If the Yeeloong is the only way to go, 
> please let me know how I should set it up.
>
> Please let me know either way, and if there is an alternative please 
> show me where to find it?

There's the Lemote Fuloong, but it needs a non-free blob in the firmware 
for VGA. As you're going to use it as a server you probably don't need 
video output, so this might be an acceptable solution. You can order it 
from Tekmote [2] or directly from Lemote [3].

For an "as free as it gets" computer the Yeeloong is still the only 
solution (the Ben Nanonote is not exactly server material).

[1] http://en.qi-hardware.com/wiki/Main_Page
[2] http://tekmote.nl
[3] http://wiki.gnewsense.org/Projects/OrderingDirectFromLemote