The "Linux mavens" followed by the "black box" stuff sparked an idea...

package. To make it as easy as possible, I'd use the UMSDOS filesystem so that Linux could be installed on a DOS machine without any reformatting repartitioning, or similar headaches.

distribution already has) and some boot options, you'd have an "instant remailer" software package, able to transform any 386SX/4MB RAM DOS macine or better into a Linux-based remailer site, complete with aliases, loggng

So, am I dreaming, or does this sound viable to y'all?

OK, let's ponder the minimum hardware necessary, possible minimal configuration (Intel/clone based): (1) Case. (2) Power supply. (3) Motherboard/CPU and 4mb RAM. (4) Hard drive w/ controller. (5) modem card. (5) No monitor, keyboard, floppy, or video card. (a) would require some "umbilical cord" connection to initially set up from another PC. (b) need to operate on "umbilical", direct and uucp modes. I am just thinking out loud here, but the hardware could be damn cheap (sub $500). You can find old 386 boards with 4mb right on the board (no SIMMs) for next to nothing (the decreasing popularity of 30-pin SIMMs makes this a surplus store reality, as nobody wants to bother to strip out the RAM chips anymore). I have also seen an ad by the KILA company in Boulder, CO who advertise some sort of compact pc-on-a-card deal, that might be applicable. Comments? ------------------------------------------------------------------- P M Dierking |