legana asks: "We are just about to install multiple cable modems at our office and we were wondering how to make the best use of them. What software/hardware is available that will allow us to share the modems across the network but still allow certain users priority (for uses such as video-conferencing, etc.)? Is it better to share all the modems across the entire network or break the network into subnets each with their own group of modems? Does connecting multiple modems to one computer really increase the bandwidth available?"

Silver A writes: "Deep Video Imaging Ltd. has available monitors with real, physical depth, and touchscreen capability. Unfortunately, it's only 800 x 600 x 2 so far. The base model is only $8765.00 for US and Canadian customers. This looks really cool, but I'd like to know if they plan to go to more than 2 planes, and if they support X." Or, on the other hand, if X will support them. These may have limited utility as is, but undeniably cool.

Bruce Ingalls asks: "Ask Slashdot ran some computer projector recommendations back on June 4, concerning quality, cost of replacing bulbs, but I have have had problems connecting XFree86 on a laptop to computer projectors. These projectors always work in console mode, or with Microsoft Windows. I find that a projector will work with some Linux laptops, but not others. One workaround that sometimes works is to start X where it displays to the external screen only, and then hit the hotkeys to enable the laptop's internal screen, afterwards. Any other recommendations?"

ryemax writes: "'Surface Mapped Athlon - Is Lapping Required?' is the title of today's bit of insight from FrostyTech. Basically we took an Athlon and measured to within 0.0005" how out-of-whack the surface of the aluminum plate is. With that knowledge and a few hundred values we made a nifty image map of the surface features. With that done, the picture was overlaid atop an image of the processor so all can see where surface flatness may be a problem. Why, you ask? Because I get really annoyed when expensive heatsinks/cold plates get suck on unflat surfaces - and thermal performance gets kicked in the arse. So, rather then just say "it's unflat", I decided to quantitatively prove it using a dial micrometer. Bottom line -- lap that Althon plate." Wow.

morzel asks: "One of the advantages of SCSI based systems is that a plethora of devices can exist on the same high-bandwidth bus, including multiple host adapters - at least: that's the theory. While it seems pretty obvious to me to use this as a low latency/high-bandwidth interconnect between a small number of hosts, I've never seen an actual implementation of such a system. Do these, preferrably IP-based systems, actually exist? I'm not in need of a Beowulf style cluster just yet (I don't have an application for them) but I am interested in the possible usage of SCSI as a _fast_ interconnection for small numbers of load-balancing machines in cluster. A combination with the Linux Virtual Server Project could create a killer solution... Right? Thanks for all input/comments on this!" (Read on...)

homerj79 writes: "Just got word from Ace's Hardware that Number Nine Visual Technology has shut its doors forever. This is sad news to hear about an old schooler in the graphics business. #9 was a pioneer in the graphics industry, introducing the first 128-bit chip, and the first 256-color and 16.7 millon-color cards. #9 was on a downward spiral as of late, with the company selling all of its technology and assets to S3 last year. This is the saddest news I've heard since Hercules announced it was going under. EBNews has a nice article on the company here."

GoNINzo writes: "Compaq has just announced the new Alpha servers. The have between 8 and 32 CPUs, run with a 64-bit 731 MHz Alpha chip, and current are distributed with Digital Unix or VMS. How soon before these machines are shipping with Linux preinstalled?"

HRieke asks: "Does anyone know as to where to buy low power LCD projectors or parts? I have two needs on this matter: I am computerizing my car in conjunction with my Master's thesis (if approved), the second as a wall video display. Ideally, I would use the device with a PC in the trunk, or LART . My idea is to have the a display projected on the windshield, from over the left shoulder, displaying realtime IR images, possible hazards, and GPS location, at a low lumens level, and for the unit to have small power requirements / low heat waste. Resolution is not that important, 800x600x16bbp is ideal, but I'd settle for even for 640x480x8bbp. After searching a bit, I found the DLP units from Texas Instruments. Be sure to look at the DLP image library too. Are there any other projectors like these?"

Transition Cat asks: "Is there any demand for longer notebook computers? With laptops as light and thin as they are, it seems that a laptop with the screen stretched out to 16:9 would still be portable. The longer dimensions would also permit room for a numeric keypad. Good as a portable DVD player (with better stereo effect since the speakers could be farther apart), good for spreadsheets, good for displaying a second browser window, etc. Good idea? Nightmare for Windows drivers? Does anyone want anything like this?"

FooBard asks: "I am looking for a new computer desk, but I just can't find anything that floats my boat. All the desks I seem to find (and I've been looking hard) are made for the average Joe who wants something that looks like a desk and fits his 15" monitor, or for the business manager that needs some place to hold his computer for the one hour a day he uses it. I need something that's ergonomic and power-user-centric, will facilitate a large (21") monitor and allow me the ability to work for several intense programming hours without hurting. Has anyone found a desk that fits this bill? I can't find one that's seems to be made for the programmer, even if I crank my budget up to $1500. " How timely! I'm in the market for something like this myself.

Phil McKreviss asks: "I've been trying to capture digital video from my DV camera, and have tested a number of solutions. Starting with a 1394 card, I've tried to capture the data stream to my hard drive using UDMA33 drives, UDMA66 drives, and now an external SCSI Ultra Wide drive array. I still face challenges handling the data stream. My question is this: why do I have to have such a high bandwidth solution? Does it seem crazy that I need such a system to capture data from a pre-recorded source? It's not like I'm trying to capture live data or anything -- heck, it's already recorded!" Is there a DV tape drive that I can install in my system? I would think that simply copying data from the tape to the hard drive at a moderate pace would be far simpler than 1394/SCSI-UW/RAID. Suggestions? "

jaredreimer asks: "Having just spent a sizeable amount of money on a top-of-the-line Sony VAIO notebook PC, I am extremely dismayed to find a single red pixel stuck on in the middle of the screen. While this is virtually unnoticable when running regular Windows applications [white backgrounds hide it well], it is unbelievably irritating when trying to watch DVD movies [which tend to have dark backgrounds]. The question is this: How good is good enough? Many vendors won't touch a screen unless it has six or ten bad pixels; is this fair, given that we spend thousands of dollars on their product? Barring a remedy from the manufacturer, has anyone heard of a software fix for this problem? (Preventing the pixel from ever lighting would be far preferable to having a red one stuck on.)"

LinuxWhore asks: "I work for a company that recently accquired two 3Com/USR TOTALswitch units. It seemed as though we had I nice product by the price that they were going for online ($1500-$3000). However, further research had revealed to me that 3Com had decided to discontinue all work on the line shortly after their merger. All updates to the product have thus ceased. Now I am left in a situation where the product has little documentation and no chance of future security/bugfixes. If companies like 3Com were petitioned to release the souce and hardware specs to their dicontinued products, how much interest would there be in the community to write updates to code for these types of products so that they remain useful, instead of becoming a $3000 doorstop?" It's a good idea. Convincing the hardware makers will be the difficult part.

Looking for something to do with that old PS/2 in the cupboard? NetBSD can now be booted on it. Support is strictly experimental at the moment, and available as a patchset to the main code.

Arg! writes: "Hi. There's a comparison review of an Alpha DS10 with a 466 MHz chip running AlphaLinux up at this link on Ace's Hardware. The system is compared against an 850 MHz Athlon box (also running Linux) and there are a lot of different benchmarks also showing some memory comparisons with some other PC chips, like the Celerons, as well as some Sun Ultra benchmarks. The config tested was $5500, but a base DS10 is supposed to be around $3500 ... maybe not too bad for a nice 64-bit box. ;)"

Anonymous Coward writes: "There's a cool article over on O'Reilly network showing how to set up a network connection between a Linux box and Palm Pilot, and then run a Web server on the Palm to access the documents. There's also a VNC client which I'm downloading now. Wild!"

Joe Schwendt asks: "Since CD Burners have become so cheap, almost everyone has one. But there are still problems associated with them, especially the faster ones (8X or 12X). It pretty much ties up your machine during the burning process, otherwise you run the risk of creating yet another coaster. If you were going to create a dedicated CD Burning machine on a network with higher speed burners, what would that be? Is a 486 enough? How much RAM? IDE or SCSI? Is Linux the ideal burning platform, or do we still have to use something from the dark side of the force (stripped down Windows95/98/NT/2000 install)? What about burning applications? "

aoechsli asks: "I am in the process of setting up a computer learning center for K - 12 age students. The system will be based on a network of about 10 - 15 X-terminals all running off of a server (duh). I will be running Red Hat with KDE2 (when it comes out). It will be used for office aps (Koffice) and Web browsing (Konquerer). What I need help with is trying to find an inexpensive set-up for the X-terminals. I have abandoned the donated hardware route as the set-up of each for individual machine proves to be overwhelming with my limited time constraints. I may be able to secure some funding, and if that comes through, I would like to use a standardized set-up with all of the terminals. I am looking for a small footprint, low power set-up. My proposed solution would be to make an X-terminal with a single board computer and a flat panel display (the 10" LCD seems adequate after seeing the I-Opener.) What flat panel displays are supported? I thought about using flash memory for the boot image, but thought that a smaller HD would be more appropriate. Does anyone have any suggestions on what would be optimal and inexpensive? I am looking to spend no more than $350 on each unit."

PsyQ asks: "While I was trying to locate a replacement CD-ROM drive for a friend's ancient notebook (and couldn't find one anywhere), I thought of a little something that seems "wrong" about notebooks. When your desktop's CD-ROM drive breaks, you can buy a new, standard-issue ATAPI one. Might there be a way to get this sort of standard to the notebook market? If manufacturers could agree on one standard platform with fixed measurements and ports, you could just buy a Brand X CD-ROM or even an optional Brand Y IR transmitter. It would also enable you to get a stripped-down notebook and customize it by adding standard parts instead of relying on the manufacturer to offer such an (expensive) service. Think of the price drop! Anything like that in the works?"

Rackemup writes: "For those days when you're thinking to yourself, 'Y'know, one monitor just doesn't cut it anymore... I wish there was a way to hook up a bunch of LCD screens to my computer. Check out the MassMultiples website. Now you can hook up two, three, four or more 18" lcd screens to your pc! Custom configurations, low footprint, and not a price to be found anywhere on the web site. Like anyone cares how much they would cost ..." Update: 05/04 02:17 by H : I actually saw their quad system last week -- it looks really, really good -- quality work.