edubuntu pc (the EduPC)

[glug101]

I have an idea for a project that I will be working in my garage on. The EduPC. The idea is to make a system that is inexpensive, small, versital, runs edubuntu with little or NO configuration by the end user, can be locked down by parents to keep their children from accessing questionable content, and has low power consumption and heat generation.

Specs for the EduPC (speculative):
1gig VIA C3 processor
4 USB 2.0 connectors
1 firewire 400 connection
~60 gig hard drive (or whatever can be gotten cheaply)
512 MB Ram
Choice of slot loading optical media (cd, cdrw/dvd, dvdrw, none)
Choice of case (cheap standard itx case, or I am designing a wooden case)

I look at it right now as a hobby that can be much more AND as a way to give back to the linux community a small portion of what I have gotten by finding new users. The setup is also flexible enough that it would be ideal for diskless clients on an ltsp boot, which I would like to support later if there is anybody that is interested in it.
So that is my idea. Any constructive comments or tweaks are appreciated, and I would like to know your opinions of the slot loading drives. They are more expensive, but I figure children will break the trays more often. The price that I am looking at currently is low enough that $30 cheaper is significant, so I am also looking for ways to make a less expensive device, but still leave it durable enough.

[xequence]

1gig VIA C3 processor

You mean 1Ghz =P

[majikstreet]

sounds cool

[Iandefor]

Price estimates?

[WildTangent]

Mini-ITX tends to get quite expensive to build actually, have you checked out the prices on some of those things? You'd be better off geting with a bigger solution using an AMD Sempron.

-Wild

[glug101]

Sadly, the min-itx stuff is a bit over what I was hoping for. ~$300-$500 US (depending on options), and $300 is admitedly optimistic. However, if I go with the larger form factor, I would lose some appearance points, and the low power consumption. The motherboards that I'm looking at are only ~$140-$170, including processor, video, sound, ethernet, and the better ones have pcmcia and compact flash. The real price seems to come in getting low profile ram, and slimline optical devices.
I've priced some of it, and I'm not overly happy with everything. I'm still in the planning stages with this, and I plan on actually asking some friends of mine that fall in the target audience what features they would like. Thanks for the constructive comments all.
Would anybody know of an atx, or mini-atx case that would work well for this? (sturdy, small, professional looking, inexpensive?) Most of the cheap cases I find look ugly as hell to me and unproffesional. There is a mini-atx motherboard that is also VIA C3 on pricewatch for <$100. Listed as a 2000+ processor (whatever that might mean). Might do the job...

[Leo_01]

drop the 60 gb hd for a 20 gb one if you wanna save cost..
drop the 512 ram too... 256 mb of ram runs nicely.
why don't you drop me a e-mail or something i got some really nice idea for it.
my contacts are in the sig.
Really hope this idea takes off...
It is so much better then the hand-cranked laptop.

[commodore]

I think 20gb is not enough, but I don't now crap about what people need.

I think the parents aren't very smart either. It would be great if someone would write a manual for them to protect their kids and use the computer. I could help you with the design.

[majikstreet]

I think 20gb is not enough, but I don't now crap about what people need.

I think the parents aren't very smart either. It would be great if someone would write a manual for them to protect their kids and use the computer. I could help you with the design.

umm.. what's there to protect?

[Iandefor]

Sadly, the min-itx stuff is a bit over what I was hoping for. ~$300-$500 US (depending on options), and $300 is admitedly optimistic. However, if I go with the larger form factor, I would lose some appearance points, and the low power consumption. The motherboards that I'm looking at are only ~$140-$170, including processor, video, sound, ethernet, and the better ones have pcmcia and compact flash. The real price seems to come in getting low profile ram, and slimline optical devices.
I've priced some of it, and I'm not overly happy with everything. I'm still in the planning stages with this, and I plan on actually asking some friends of mine that fall in the target audience what features they would like. Thanks for the constructive comments all.
Would anybody know of an atx, or mini-atx case that would work well for this? (sturdy, small, professional looking, inexpensive?) Most of the cheap cases I find look ugly as hell to me and unproffesional. There is a mini-atx motherboard that is also VIA C3 on pricewatch for <$100. Listed as a 2000+ processor (whatever that might mean). Might do the job...

A really good Mini-ATX chassis is the Foxconn TLM-487. It ran me about $30, and is really great. It looks good (at least to me), is cheaper than dirt, and works excellently for such a cheap chassis. Using it brought the cost of my computer down to about $350.

Newegg product page:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811153036