Mini-ITX Computing For Everyone

An anonymous reader writes "So you have decided that you want an ITX system. Whether it's just to look cool or because you need to reclaim the desk space. Most people wouldn't know where to start when creating their system. Fear no more because XYZComputing.com has created a step by step process on how they created their system. Based on an MII10000 and using a USB Pen to load up Puppy Linux. No details are omitted so if you are new to Mini-ITX and do not have a clue what you need or where to start then this would certainly be a good place to start."

Why not an Apple Mini?

[Anonymous Coward]

Why not an Apple Mini?

seems like a lot of work

[i_should_be_working]

when you can just buy a Shuttle [shuttle.com] or some other small form factor pc mostly put together already.

Re:seems like a lot of work

[Brainix]

Then the author didn't write the article for you.

Some of us don't see assembling a computer as work -- we see it as play.

DIY -- scratching the itch -- is the very spirit of Linux.

Easier process

[tji]

go to www.apple.com
click on Mac Mini
click "Buy".

I have messed around with the Mini-ITX's for a couple years. The Mini-ITX and the VIA C3 processors they use were way ahead of their time in low power/heat small sized computers. But, the Mac Mini did a big leap frog over the Mini-ITX boxes. It's smaller, cheaper, and faster than any of VIA's offerings - not to mention all the included software, and it looks better than any of the ITX options. If you must have x86, Mini-ITX is a good option. If not, save some headaches & pick up a Mac Mini.

VIA announced the Nano-ITX a LONG time ago, but have thus far failed to deliver anything.. The Nano-ITX might offer some interesting possibilities. But, at this point I think there is little chance of them actually shipping it.

Re:Easier process

[GaryPatterson]

So it would teach your kid not to care so much what others think, and give him more time to focus on important things instead of video games?

Sounds like a win-win to me.

Maybe you could buy him a console and a Mac Mini.

Re:seems like a lot of work

[gl4ss]

however.. you wouldn't need an article to tell you how to do this.. what fun is following someones guide anyway?

anyways, problem with mini-itx tends to be just the one mentioned: you can get a shuttle type of machine for cheaper and end up with a faster machine to boot and end up with something just as cool looking. I'd like to play around with one but at the current price/performance i'm not going to pay for a toy that's slow and premium priced. even mini-itx cases are premium priced(even crap looking mini-itx cases seem to come with a hefty pricetag). the article is basically an ad anyways and pretty boring to read.

i like diy stuff, re-using old stuff and getting by cheaper by not being afraid to solder. but mini-itx doesn't fit into that at all, mini-itx for desktop is just stupid from the geek diy viewpoint and from normal user viewpoint as well.

and if you're hauling it around.. just get the friggin laptop.

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[Cyburbia]

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Re:seems like a lot of work

[Anonymous Coward]

Saving money? I'm sorry, but I actually did buy my last PC right from best buy!! Scary thought coming from a geek (yeah yeah i know - leave your card at the door now!) that has been assembling his for years (starting from the trs-80 era), but I just could NOT match the prices they had by buying full retail prices (well, OEM stuff included) at hardware stores anywhere across country (true enough, I did buy a P4 and I was pricing a [similar spec'ed] AMD64). Even with the low margins these stores make, it was significantly cheaper to buy a boxed system instead (not quite half price but close to that!). Build quality on that boxed system is actually better than all of those LianLi case/Asus mobo systems I've put together and the like.

So I suggest you go check the prices on boxed systems right now, you might be in for a shock too. I wasn't paying 400$ extra to get the previledge of having to assemble my system myself!

Someone needs to come up with an ad-blocker...

[callipygian-showsyst]

This site is one of those annoying [lesbian.com] sites where random words [m-w.com] thoughout the pages are higlighted and link to some sponsor. [vim.org] Nothing is more annoying! [rosie.com]

I also can't imagine that any of the clicks [robert.to] the advertisers get [intel.com] are legit. It's probably mostly accidental [blogspot.com] clicks as people are navigating around [stanford.edu].

Of course, the best thing would be to encourage people [blogspot.com] to make their sites a little more user-friendly [rotten.com] with more than a few words of text [snopes.com] on each page. But barring that, some form of ad blocker [microsoft.com] that finds and kills these things would be a good idea. Maybe someone can write one for Firefox [rnc.org] and Internet Explorer? [well.com]