[sf-lug] Linux desktop for sale at geeks.com

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Bobbie Sellers (bliss-sf4ever at dslextreme.com):

>     In today's flyer:
> <http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?InvtId=OPTI-FX160-USFF-LNX-3R&utm_source=geekmail&utm_medium=daily_html&utm_content=product&utm_campaign=M370NV_19may11>
> 
>     A dual core Atom running SUSE Linux tiny Desktop.

Here's the Achilles heel:

   Integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet (Broadcom LOM)

Being Dell, their chipset information sucks and is a bit misleading: 
Turns out, the ethernet _itself_ isn't Broadcom.  Only the Lights-Out
Management (LOM) feature is Broadcom:  The motherboard's ethernet
functions are integral to the SiS 968 southbridge chip, and is the same
as the SiS 191.  A compatible sis191 driver is in Linux kernels starting
kernel revision 2.6.24.  So, probably OK with very recent distro
releases; otherwise, expect frustration.

Linux support for the SiS 968 southbridge's SATA would be even more vital,
but fortunately that's compatible with the bog-standard ahci driver.

But, you know, if you really _want_ one of these puppies, they're
available through other retailers aside from just geeks.com.  Search
and ye shall find.