[NTLUG:Discuss] MSN Companion and Linux

[Daniel Hauck]

There seems to be a kind of slow-down in interesting discussions here
recently, so I thought I might liven things up with mention of a new project
I'm working on...a project I think other people might be interested in
following, if not engaging in.

The device I am playing with is the IA-1.  It's also known as the MSN
Companion.  It's a WinCE device that is made for internet access in the form
of web browsing using an MSN dialup account.  It can, however, use broadband
internet access if you want to.

What has this to do with Linux? :)  Well, like the iOpenner, we are loading
Linux on it instead of WinCE! :)  So far, the reseults are simply amazing.
This device is actually a simple computer with an AMD K6-2/266, 32MB RAM,
16MB CF memory, Trident VGA, LT Winmodem, 4 USB ports, 1 External CF slot,
10" 800x600 flat panel display, wireless keyboard with pointer device
embedded.  NO MOVING PARTS!  :)

Best of all, this "toy" is available for $99 and *NO* requirement to buy MSN
access... in fact, if you want to use it, you get it free for 6 months...
(don't forget to cancel or they'll charge your card!)  This is the kind of
toy that many people can afford.  With a variety of supported and
inexpensive USB ethernet adapters, it can quickly become your next XTerminal
or pseudo-thin client.  Use SMB or NFS mounts to use it as an MP3 player
station.  Imagine anything you like.  It's cheap, it's small and most women
will not object to this thing in the livingroom! :)

People have managed to actually add external HDs to this device by adapting
the CF slot or by using any of a variety of USB storage devices.  CF is a
media best treated as "READ ONLY" for practical use because it has a "limit"
to the number of writes it can sustain.  That value is in the millions but
still... a limit is a limit.  Don't push it right?  So the idea is to mount
writeable drives from other servers or external devices to avoid that
problem.  There is also a Microdrive that works in a CF slot... a 340MB and
1GB model... but those are a touch expensive and pushes you beyond the
"inexpensive toy" range.

So far, I have spent $114 for the device including shipping and $44 for the
Linksys USB100TX ethernet device.  I didn't do as much shopping as perhaps I
should have for the ethernet device because I've read where people have
picked up some of these things for like $10.

But let me tell ya, these things are fun to play with and it's a challenge
to execute this project without getting "carried away!"  For myself, I'm
going to try to keep it limited to a "no moving parts" device.  If I use any
external storage, it will likely be via an NFS or SMB mount.

Unfortunately, I go to school on Saturdays or I would be at the next meeting
showing this thing off to you folks.  But so far, I have become somewhat
adept at hacking this device.

Comments?  Questions?