looking to hire someone here on the forum that is good with hardware/software integration.

would like to make a nice fax Linux based box with a few hardware specifics

any takers?

quote:

fax Linux based box

what might that be ~ a fax machine on Linux?

Any details for your purpose?

I'll do it. Email in profile.

You could easily build it yourself. Just post your specific requirements, and I'm sure people will come along with specific recommendations for hardware.

Then just have everything shipped to your house, open up the boxes, and plug everything together. It's pretty simple--all the connectors are labeled. Then load the OS. Install the driver for your network card. And then navigate to the respective websites for all of your hardware and download the latest drivers.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
You could easily build it yourself. Just post your specific requirements, and I'm sure people will come along with specific recommendations for hardware.

Then just have everything shipped to your house, open up the boxes, and plug everything together. It's pretty simple--all the connectors are labeled. Then load the OS. Install the driver for your network card. And then navigate to the respective websites for all of your hardware and download the latest drivers.

Aeteocles is right. I recently did this and it was not all that daunting. Sure, you'll feel like you've screwed up somewhere, but with a few YouTube videos and some patience you'll be fine. newegg.com & pcpartpicker.com have many resources that you can use. Good luck!

+2 for Aeteocles recomendation- It's not worth the risk and expense of shipping the computer when finished.

I would say one needs to focus on the needs/purpose/function of this box vs "building" one or not.
You can't build anything until you know how it needs to be built if at all.
Faxing? This is 2017 and there are a lot of alternatives.

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
You could easily build it yourself. Just post your specific requirements, and I'm sure people will come along with specific recommendations for hardware.

Then just have everything shipped to your house, open up the boxes, and plug everything together. It's pretty simple--all the connectors are labeled. Then load the OS. Install the driver for your network card. And then navigate to the respective websites for all of your hardware and download the latest drivers.

That is the easy part...the installation and configuring of Linux is going to be the tricky part for someone not experienced.

+3 for Aeteocles recommendation.

Just go slow. Google/Youtube will help tremendously. Don't be discouraged when, after plugging in everything, hit the power and nothing but a blinking cursor. Just double check everything, make sure memory DIMMs and CPU are well seated, HDD/SSD and keyboard/mouse/monitor connections are solid. Those are usually the causes.

You can do this easily and for low cost!

How to setup a fax server on a Raspberry Pi (rPi) 3 to recieve faxes

'fax' was a typo...

should have been 'fast'

What is the purpose of Linux? (not saying not to do it, just wondering why, and futher, the purpose of the machine)

quote:

Originally posted by LBTRS:

quote:

Originally posted by Aeteocles:
You could easily build it yourself. Just post your specific requirements, and I'm sure people will come along with specific recommendations for hardware.

Then just have everything shipped to your house, open up the boxes, and plug everything together. It's pretty simple--all the connectors are labeled. Then load the OS. Install the driver for your network card. And then navigate to the respective websites for all of your hardware and download the latest drivers.

That is the easy part...the installation and configuring of Linux is going to be the tricky part for someone not experienced.

Even for someone experienced. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. It's a crapshoot, particularly with something like Ubuntu.

quote:

Originally posted by KevinCW:
What is the purpose of Linux? (not saying not to do it, just wondering why, and futher, the purpose of the machine)

Apart from a three year interlude with Mac OSX, I have used Linux exclusively for 15 years.

I can say that the driver issues are largely a thing of the past. Modern distros are as easy to install and configure as Windoze or OSX.

Unless there are specific applications needed on MS or OSX, Linux has options available for anything the typical user needs and can run many MS apps through emulation anyway.

My current preference is Linux Mint. Makes a great DD.

quote:

Originally posted by jcat:
Even for someone experienced. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. It's a crapshoot, particularly with something like Ubuntu.

Eh? In what respect?

You install it. You configure it. It runs. Done.

In... (thinking...) I'm going to say about plus-or-minus two decades I've had precisely zero Linux installations fail to work correctly and only two updates do something wonky. I've done Red Hat, Mandrake, Ubuntu and Mint, on everything from 586 laptops to the Intel i5 my current home system is running.

Not everything has always been trouble-free, but, I've fewer problems with Linux than I ever had with MS-Windows.

I used to build computers from a company in Halifax when I was in university - also worked for Digital Equipment assembling and installing VAX machines back in the 80's

I have a skill set now which doesn't include computers

The first computer I built was an Altair. The last one I built was an NEC Dos machine.

I am looking for a nice fast Linux box to get away from Windows and all things Microsoft. Eventually it will go into my observatory and be used for controlling my telescope, dome position and long duration astrophotography.

I don't mind paying someone to do what I can't. And to make suggestions on better alternatives.

quote:

I don't mind paying someone to do what I can't. And to make suggestions on better alternatives.

Your history has given you an unrealistic idea of the difficulty. I think most SFers who are knowledgeable in this area would be embarrassed to take your money, it is that easy. If you've built a VAX, you have more than enough mad skillz.

Unless you are trying to build an out-on-the-edge "gamer" machine, or redundant everything, lights-out ZFS server, there is little magic to it. Build sites/recipes are everywhere, it is much more driven by your budget than anything technical.

WRT Linux, Centos (khakis, button down shirt and tie) or Ubuntu (t-shirt and jeans) are your mainstream picks. Me? I'm a BSD guy, so WTF do I know?

Just want to clarify.. My I'll do it was intended as I'll do it for free.

The problem that might come up in building your own computer is that you get all the parts except one or more that are "Out of stock" and have to wait weeks for it to come in. Or you start building and one or more of the parts might be defective. Now you have to diagnose which one it is and return it and wait for the replacement.

For me, I would just buy one already built with whatever OS I want already loaded. It would probably be cheaper that way anyway, if not in money, for sure in time spent on the project.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:

quote:

I don't mind paying someone to do what I can't. And to make suggestions on better alternatives.

Your history has given you an unrealistic idea of the difficulty. I think most SFers who are knowledgeable in this area would be embarrassed to take your money, it is that easy. If you've built a VAX, you have more than enough mad skillz.

Unless you are trying to build an out-on-the-edge "gamer" machine, or redundant everything, lights-out ZFS server, there is little magic to it. Build sites/recipes are everywhere, it is much more driven by your budget than anything technical.

WRT Linux, Centos (khakis, button down shirt and tie) or Ubuntu (t-shirt and jeans) are your mainstream picks. Me? I'm a BSD guy, so WTF do I know?

Take it from somebody who does this for a living for over 30 years ~ it can come together easy or it can be a nightmare.
My experience is the average amateur that thinks he can "build" a computer only does a surface assembly.
Nobody now days tests, benchmarks, burn-in's let alone actually optimizing a product for use.
Of course if all you need to do is look a couple web pages and send an email or two then what difference does it make, right.
Mine are built for business users that demand more in the long run and some needs for performance.
There is a difference in doing it right and just doing it ~ kind of like buying a suit off the rack or having one custom tailored.
YMMV