<HTML ><HEAD ><TITLE >What is a JavaStation?</TITLE ><META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="Modular DocBook HTML Stylesheet Version 1.63 "><LINK REL="HOME" TITLE="Linux on the Sun JavaStation NC HOWTO" HREF="index.html"><LINK REL="PREVIOUS" TITLE="META Information" HREF="metainfochapter.html"><LINK REL="NEXT" TITLE="Background Requirements for Linux on a JavaStation" HREF="backgroundrequirementschapter.html"></HEAD ><BODY CLASS="sect1" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#000000" LINK="#0000FF" VLINK="#840084" ALINK="#0000FF" ><DIV CLASS="NAVHEADER" ><TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" ><TR ><TH COLSPAN="3" ALIGN="center" ><SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux</SPAN > on the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun JavaStation </SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > HOWTO</TH ></TR ><TR ><TD WIDTH="10%" ALIGN="left" VALIGN="bottom" ><A HREF="metainfochapter.html" >Prev</A ></TD ><TD WIDTH="80%" ALIGN="center" VALIGN="bottom" ></TD ><TD WIDTH="10%" ALIGN="right" VALIGN="bottom" ><A HREF="backgroundrequirementschapter.html" >Next</A ></TD ></TR ></TABLE ><HR ALIGN="LEFT" WIDTH="100%"></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect1" ><H1 CLASS="sect1" ><A NAME="WhatIsChapter" >2. What is a <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN >?</A ></H1 ><P > This chapter explains to the reader what the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation </SPAN > line is, its components, <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > concepts, how to get one, and why one would choose the <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >OS</SPAN ></SPAN > for it. </P ><DIV CLASS="sect2" ><H2 CLASS="sect2" ><A NAME="WhatIsJavaStationSection" >2.1. What is a <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN >?</A ></H2 ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > is a model line of network computers built and sold by <A HREF="http://www.sun.com" TARGET="_top" >Sun Microsystems</A > between November 1996 and March 2000. The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > line was Sun's low-cost terminal option during that timeframe. It was the marketed successor to the Xterminal 1 and is succeeeded by the SunRay, although all three machines are fundamentally different. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > hardware ran Sun's own <SPAN CLASS="application" >JavaOS</SPAN > and either Sun's <SPAN CLASS="application" > Hotjava</SPAN > web browser, Sun's <SPAN CLASS="application" >HotJava Views </SPAN > task-manager software, or custom <SPAN CLASS="application" >Java </SPAN > applications of the customer's choice. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > was originally billed in November 1996 sneak previews as a low-cost desktop terminal, providing customers access to hot new <SPAN CLASS="application" >Java</SPAN > applications, <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"legacy"</SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="application" >X</SPAN > applications, and <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"legacy"</SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="application" >MS Windows</SPAN > apps. During its lifetime, The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN >'s marketed functionality was changed twice from <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"desktop terminal"</SPAN > to <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"single-app desktop device"</SPAN > to finally a <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"browser-based kiosk device"</SPAN >. </P ><P > At no time did Sun market the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > as capable of running its flagship <A HREF="http://www.sun.com/solaris" TARGET="_top" >Solaris</A > operating system the <A HREF="http://www.linux.com" TARGET="_top" >Linux OS</A >, or any other OS than Sun's JavaOS. </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect2" ><H2 CLASS="sect2" ><A NAME="WhatIsNCSection" >2.2. Definition of an <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > including the Differentiation from <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN >'s</A ></H2 ><P > A network computer, or <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN >, was hailed as "the next big thing" in computing from late 1995 to early 1998. Conventional <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN >'s, called "fat clients", were expected to be minimized in businesses by thin-client <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN >'s. </P ><P > Thin-clients get their <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >OS</SPAN >, applications, and data files entirely through the network. They are different from dumb-terminals; they run full-scale graphical applications. Thin-clients are also different than graphical X-terminals. X-terminals typically run an X server and display the client programs of a remote server. Thin clients generally run full-scale graphical programs locally, such as a web browser, a <SPAN CLASS="application" >Java</SPAN > application, or a <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"legacy-connectivity program"</SPAN >, which enables the thin-client to display <SPAN CLASS="application" >X</SPAN > apps or <SPAN CLASS="application" >MS Windows</SPAN > apps which run on more powerful servers. </P ><P > Advantages of <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN >'s include: </P ><P ></P ><UL ><LI ><P > <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Zero-Administration"</SPAN >. (Add a new <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > and it will get <EM >everything</EM > it needs off the network, without an admin ever needing to visit it.) </P ></LI ><LI ><P > Lower Total-Cost-of-Ownership (<SPAN CLASS="acronym" >TCO</SPAN >) (No internal hard drives, floppy drives or <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >CD</SPAN > players reduces form-factor, repair expenses, selling price and thus total-cost-of-ownership.) </P ></LI ><LI ><P > Access to all web-based apps as well as <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"legacy"</SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="application" >X </SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="application" >MS Windows</SPAN > apps. </P ></LI ><LI ><P > Quick upgrades (just upgrade your server and the changes propogate throughout) </P ></LI ><LI ><P > Longer lifespan (just upgrade the software, growing hard disk and memory requirements is not an issue) </P ></LI ><LI ><P > Smaller <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >OS</SPAN > footprint (when running brower-based apps) </P ></LI ></UL ><P > Disadvantages of <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN >'s: </P ><P ></P ><UL ><LI ><P > No local access to data files (all your files stored on a remote server) </P ></LI ><LI ><P > Requires fast, stable networks </P ></LI ><LI ><P > NC's generally have a low maximum amount of memory. Though not as bad as with fat-clients, this does eventually become a liability for the thin-client. </P ></LI ></UL ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect2" ><H2 CLASS="sect2" ><A NAME="JavaStationModelsSection" >2.3. Description of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > Model Line including Hardware Specs</A ></H2 ><P > Depending on who you talk to, the number of <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation </SPAN > models that were created is anywhere from one to six. The descriptions below will explain why. </P ><DIV CLASS="sect3" ><H3 CLASS="sect3" ><A NAME="MrCoffeeDescSection" >2.3.1. <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN > [ <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Mr. Coffee"</SPAN >] [<SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"the brick"</SPAN >] [Sun Option No. JJ-xx]</A ></H3 ><P > This model is the most prevalent <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > model you are likely to find, although it wasn't the one and only <EM ><SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN ></EM > model Sun wished to sell to the public. The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN > was the first generation <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN >, released in November 1996 to pilot deployments as Sun's <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"proof of concept"</SPAN > of the Java <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > design. </P ><P > Hardware-wise, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN > is a Sun4M architecture machine. It is based on the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >SPARCStation-4 </SPAN > design, with some deletions and <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN >-like modifications. It is powered by a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >110 Mhz MicroSPARC IIe CPU</SPAN > and has no <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >SCSI</SPAN >, <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >internal disks </SPAN >, <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >floppy</SPAN >, <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >CD</SPAN > or <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >expansion slots</SPAN >. The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Mr. Coffee </SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >motherboard</SPAN > is Sun Part No. <SPAN CLASS="productnumber" >501-3141</SPAN >. </P ><P > Instead of using the Sun-type <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >keyboard</SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >mice</SPAN >, <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN > uses <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN >-like <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PS2</SPAN > parts instead. One of the original marketing highlights of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation </SPAN > was that it would use standard <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN > parts wherever possible to keep overall price down. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"brick"</SPAN > has four <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PC-like SIMM</SPAN > slots. The <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >SIMMs</SPAN > taken are industry-standard 60ns, 32-bit, 72-pin, 5V fast page <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >SIMMs</SPAN >, installed in pairs. Each slot is capable of holding up to a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >16MB SIMM</SPAN >, bringing the maximum total capacity of the unit to 64MB. The <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"xx"</SPAN > in the Sun Option# of the unit indicated how much memory the unit shipped with. </P ><P > For video display, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN > utilizes the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >Sun TCX framebuffer</SPAN >, capable of 1024x768@70Hz in 8-bit color. The port connector however, is a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >standard VGA jack </SPAN >, enabling the user to use standard <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >monitors</SPAN > if desired (again, low cost in mind). The <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >on-board audio</SPAN > is a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >Crystal CS4231 chip </SPAN >, and the network interface is the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >Sun Lance</SPAN > 10Mbps interface. In addition, the <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"brick"</SPAN > also came with a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >9-pin serial port</SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >1/8" audio out jack </SPAN > on its back. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN > was fitted into the Sun <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"unidisk"</SPAN > form factor case, and has been seen in a number of color schemes. <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > have been fitted with casings in the white with light blue trim scheme used in <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >Sun workstations</SPAN >, as well as the dark blue-grey <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"new desktop"</SPAN > scheme. Some say <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"JavaStation"</SPAN > and have the Java coffee cup logo written on it, others do not. Collectors may wish to collect all case variations. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN > was used in early Sun demos, and sold to pilot sites. When first brought out, the cost to pilot sites was $699US. This was at a time when <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC </SPAN >'s were still higher than $1000US. By the end of the pilot run, Sun was selling any remaining or used units for $299-$399US, in anticipation for its <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"real"</SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation </SPAN > model. </P ><P > See the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN > at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/mr_coffee_front_view.jpg" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/mr_coffee_front_view.jpg </A > </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect3" ><H3 CLASS="sect3" ><A NAME="KrupsDescSection" >2.3.2. <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-<SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN ></SPAN > [<SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >" <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-10</SPAN >"</SPAN >] [<SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >" <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN >"</SPAN >] [<SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"<SPAN CLASS="productname" >the tower</SPAN >"</SPAN >] [<SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"<SPAN CLASS="productname" >the percolator</SPAN >"</SPAN >] [ Sun Option No. JK-xx]</A ></H3 ><P > This model is the second most prevalent <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > model you are likely to find. When you talk to industry people about the <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"JavaStation"</SPAN >, this is typically the model remembered first. Delayed numerous times, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > model officially went on sale to the general public Mar. 26, 1998 at the annual JavaOne conference. </P ><P > Though generation two of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > line, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > model was <EM >the JavaStation</EM > . Sporting a completely different board design than <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1 </SPAN >, <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > establishes what was to be the characteristic <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > architecture. </P ><P > <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > is powered by a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >100Mhz MicroSPARC IIep</SPAN > chip, (note the 'p'). Its mainboard had the internal addition of a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PCI bus</SPAN >, about a year before this standard bus made its well-publicized appearance on the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun Ultra</SPAN > workstation line. The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >motherboard</SPAN > is Sun Part no. <SPAN CLASS="productnumber" >501-4267</SPAN >. </P ><P > <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > keeps the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PS2 keyboard</SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PS2 mouse ports</SPAN > from <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1 </SPAN >, keeping in mind the low-cost, interoperable goal of generation 1. </P ><P > With the new board design, came new memory chip sockets. Instead of <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >SIMMs</SPAN >, the <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"tower"</SPAN > moved to <SPAN CLASS="hardware" > 168-pin DIMMs</SPAN >. <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >DIMMs</SPAN > had begun to make their way from the workstation realm to <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN >'s in the time between generations one and two of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation </SPAN > line, so it was fitting for Sun to switch to it in anticipation of their status low-cost commodity memory chips. The <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >DIMMs</SPAN > accepted by the <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"tower"</SPAN > are <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >168pin, 3.3V unbuffered EDO DIMMs (not SDRAM)</SPAN >. With two sockets capable of holding a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >32MB DIMM</SPAN > each, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > has a maximum capacity of 64<SPAN CLASS="acronym" >MB </SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >RAM</SPAN >. As with the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1 </SPAN >, the number <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"xx"</SPAN > in the Sun option number refers to the amount of memory shipped with the unit. </P ><P > For video display, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-NC</SPAN > utilizes the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PCI-based IGS C1682 framebuffer</SPAN >, capable of 1280x1024@80Hz in 24-bit <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"true color"</SPAN >. This is a step up from the 8-bit display on <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1 </SPAN >. The port connector remained a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >standard VGA jack </SPAN > like <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN >, enabling the user to use standard <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN > monitors if desired. The on-board audio remains a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >Crystal CS4231 chip</SPAN > like <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN >. The network interface on <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > is the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >Sun HappyMeal</SPAN > 10/100 Mbps interface, another step up from the original offering of <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN >. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"tower"</SPAN > came with the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >9-pin serial port </SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >1/8" audio out jack</SPAN > as <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-1</SPAN >, but it also added a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >1/8" audio-in jack</SPAN >, to do sound recording with. </P ><P > Another addition in the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-NC</SPAN > is a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >flash memory SIMM</SPAN >. This allows one to load the current revision of the <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >OS</SPAN > onboard, increasing boot-speed tremendously. </P ><P > Perhaps the thing most memorable about the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-NC </SPAN > is its case design. The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > comes in an aesthetically appealing casing. The <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >mainboard</SPAN > is mounted vertically, and the shell entraps it, giving it the <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"tower "</SPAN > or <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"percolator"</SPAN > shape referred to. With the streamlined case, the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >power supply</SPAN > is moved outside to small transformer. The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > unit gives off so little heat that there are no onboard cooling fans, making the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > a <EM >dead-silent</EM > machine. Imagine the difference in noise when replacing a lab of traditional desktops with the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN >! This case design earned <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > a<SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >" 1998 Industrial Design Excellence Award"</SPAN > from the Industrial Designers Society of America. This award announcement is still available for read at: <A HREF="http://www.idsa.org/whatis/seewhat/idea98/winners/javastation.htm" TARGET="_top" > http://www.idsa.org/whatis/seewhat/idea98/winners/javastation.htm" </A >. It is also archived locally via "fair use" for future readers at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/texts/krups_idsa_award.txt" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/texts/krups_idsa_award.txt" </A > </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > had an initial base price of $599US, $100US cheaper than <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Mr. Coffee</SPAN >'s rollout price. Due to it being the only model formally sold by Sun to the general public, this is how <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > is sometimes referred to as the only <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN >, and not one model of a product line. </P ><P > See the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-NC</SPAN > at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/krups_front_view.jpg" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/krups_front_view.jpg </A > </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect3" ><H3 CLASS="sect3" ><A NAME="EspressoDescSection" >2.3.3. <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-E</SPAN > [<SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Espresso"</SPAN >] [Sun Option No. JE-xx]</A ></H3 ><P > This model is extremely rare to find. It was never available for sale in quantities to either the general public or the initial <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > deployments, limiting the model's production quantity. To call this <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Generation Three"</SPAN > of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > may be improper, as <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > is nothing like the generation three <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > written about in early Sun marketing literature. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > was designed as an extension of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN >. It was geared to sites that wanted a little bit more functionality and expansion capability from their <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN >: a cross between an <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > and a workstation. </P ><P > <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > is powered by the same <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >110Mhz MicroSPARC IIep chip</SPAN > as <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups </SPAN >. It's mainboard is similar to <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN >, with the addition of <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PCI slots</SPAN > and an <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >IDE channel</SPAN > for local hard disks. The <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >IDE</SPAN > on <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > was not enabled in the demo units. Those who have tried to make it work have concluded the wiring is incorrect, and it requires a hardware rework to get going. </P ><P > <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > continues with the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PS2 keyboard </SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PS2 mouse ports</SPAN > from <SPAN CLASS="productname" > Mr. Coffee</SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN >. </P ><P > <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > uses the same <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >168-pin, 3.3V unbuffered EDO DIMMs</SPAN > as <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN >. The maximum amount of memory for Espresso is reported to be 96MB. As with the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Mr. Coffee</SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups </SPAN >, the number <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"xx"</SPAN > in the Sun option number refers to the amount of memory shipped with the unit. </P ><P > For video display, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > uses the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PCI-based IGS C2000 framebuffer</SPAN >, along with the same standard <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >VGA port connector</SPAN > as <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups </SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Mr. Coffee</SPAN >. The on-board audio remains a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >Crystal CS4231 chip</SPAN > like <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN >, and the network interface remains a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >Sun HappyMeal</SPAN > 10/100 Mbps interface like <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN > as well. </P ><P > <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > came with the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >9-pin serial port</SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >1/8" audio out</SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >1/8" audio in</SPAN > jacks of <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN >, and a new addition of a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >parallel port</SPAN >, and a second 9-pin serial port. <SPAN CLASS="productname" > Espresso</SPAN > also comes with the <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >flash memory</SPAN > to load your <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >OS</SPAN > on and bypass the network boot cycle. </P ><P > One new addition to the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > is a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >smart card slot</SPAN >. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > comes in a <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"pizza box"</SPAN > style case like the old <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun SparcStations</SPAN >, only a little taller, and not quite as wide. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > was never sold to the public. There was an internal testing period at Sun, but the units never went into mass-production. </P ><P > One <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN > user mentioned he now uses his unit as both a server and router, with the addition of an <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >IDE disk</SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >3C905 ethernet card</SPAN >, demonstrating the expandability of this unit. </P ><P > See the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation-E</SPAN > at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/espresso_front_view.jpg" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/espresso_front_view.jpg </A > </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect3" ><H3 CLASS="sect3" ><A NAME="JavaEngineDescSection" >2.3.4. <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaEngine-1</SPAN > [<SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"JE-1"</SPAN >]</A ></H3 ><P > Like the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso</SPAN >, this unit is also an extremely rare find. </P ><P > This unit is supposed to be of similar board design to the Krups, but in an ATX form factor, with soldered onboard flash memory, and with a regular SVGA video chipset. </P ><P > Gleb Raiko <TT CLASS="email" ><<A HREF="mailto:raiko@niisi.msk.ru)" >raiko@niisi.msk.ru)</A >></TT > with the help of Vladimir Roganov <TT CLASS="email" ><<A HREF="mailto:roganov@niisi.msk.ru" >roganov@niisi.msk.ru</A >></TT > did initial the Linux kernel support on <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"JE-1"</SPAN >. Pete Zaitcev <TT CLASS="email" ><<A HREF="mailto:zaitcev@yahoo.com" >zaitcev@yahoo.com</A >></TT > later obtained a <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"JE-1"</SPAN > unit and restored full support in <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux kernel 2.3.x+ </SPAN >. </P ><P > As the author of this document has never seen a <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"JE-1"</SPAN >, submissions from the public are welcome. </P ><P > See the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaEngine-1</SPAN > at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/je1_overhead_view.jpg" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/je1_overhead_view.jpg </A > </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect3" ><H3 CLASS="sect3" ><A NAME="DoverDescSection" >2.3.5. The <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Dover"</SPAN > <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > model</A ></H3 ><P > This is another box which does not exist officially outside of Sun. Little was known of it at the first revision of this HOWTO. Since then, proud owners have stepped forward. Basically, the Dover takes the Espresso theme and moves it to stock X86 parts. </P ><P > Dover comes in a case similar to the Espresso, but there's nothing where the 'JavaStation-E' tag would be. Dover can be situated in a vertical position by removable feet. All that is printed on the case is "Sun MicroSystems 1998", and typically a serial number sticker of '12345678' and 'Made in Taiwan'. </P ><P > The motherboard is 'baby ATX' in configuration, but not quite totally. Near the the front of the case is a fan that points at the CPU heat sink. The CPU heat sink has another fan on top of it. The motherboard has a Socket 7 CPU socket that houses a Cyrix MediaGCm-266GP CPU. There are typical PC motherboard jumpers with silk-screened legends for setting both clock speed and multiplier. The motherboard accepts a PC100 DIMM (max. size unknown) and a powersupply with AT-type power connectors. Included among them are two floppy and regular hard drive type plug. There are two small jumpers going to the motherboard, JPSB1 and JAUTO1, possibly for power management. </P ><P > Expansion in Dover is via a two-card riser, with one PCI and one shared PCI/ISA slot. As mentioned earlier, the motherboard deviates slightly from standard ATX. Along the back edge under the cards are connectors for audio out, audio in, mic, HD15F video, two USB ports, D25F parallel printer, stacked PS/2 keyboard/mouse ports, and four 9-pin serial ports, marked A through D. Unlike other JavaStation models, there is no on-board ethernet. Instead, it typically is provided by a supplied 3COM 3C905B-TX Fast Etherlink XL PCI card (with a wake-on-LAN cable going to the motherboard). There is a standard Sun MAC address label on the back of the case. </P ><P > Video is via a Cyrix CX5530 chip, but with the MediaGX chip, may be just an auxilliary chip. There exist both a FDD and HDD headers on the motherboard, but nowhere to mount a FDD in the case and no provision for an HDD bracket either. There is a simple piezo buzzer mounted to the motherboard and additionally a speaker with a cable leading back near the audio out jacks. Like the Espresso, there is a smart-card reader as well, and what looks like a compact-flash socket inside. </P ><P > When booting it up, you get a blue JS screen. Under the exclamation point, are two memory card icons and a <...> icon. It reads: </P ><TABLE BORDER="0" BGCOLOR="#E0E0E0" WIDTH="100%" ><TR ><TD ><FONT COLOR="#000000" ><PRE CLASS="screen" > Boot device: /ethernet Arguments: MAC Address: 08:00:20:95:5b:49 Open Boot 3.0, Built February 16, 1999 17:38:37 NIC: 10b7,9055 ethernet in PCI1 64MB SDRAM Non-Volatile Device Memory Module Not Installed SmartCard Reader Found CPU Speed: 266 MHz Can't open boot device ok </PRE ></FONT ></TD ></TR ></TABLE ><P > The Dover model, since it is based on an x86 chip, is supported by Linux. This HOWTO however focuses on the SPARC-based JavaStations, so the procedures presented here <EM >will not work</EM > with it. However, there's plenty of x86 documentation at large to work from. </P ><P > See the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Dover</SPAN > at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/dover_inside.jpg" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/dover_inside.jpg </A > </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect3" ><H3 CLASS="sect3" ><A NAME="GenerationThreeDescSection" >2.3.6. The Generation 3 <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Super JavaStation"</SPAN ></A ></H3 ><P > Sun originally envisioned three generation models of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" > JavaStation</SPAN >: <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Mr. Coffee</SPAN >, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups</SPAN >, and the <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Super JavaStation"</SPAN >. Generation Three was billed in early literature as going to be the fastest <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > offered, with a high-speed <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >CPU</SPAN > and a <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >JavaChip co-processor</SPAN > to translate <SPAN CLASS="application" >Java-bytecode</SPAN > in hardware. </P ><P > All indications are that it never got beyond the mental stage, and was more of a marketing myth than anything else. </P ><P > First, consider that the cost of higher performance <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >CPU</SPAN > as a factor. If Sun packaged a high-performance <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >CPU</SPAN > into a <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN >, the low-cost advantage of an <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > goes away. </P ><P > Next, Sun did have their <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >PicoJava chip</SPAN > available to decode <SPAN CLASS="application" >Java bytecode</SPAN >, but rumor is the performance was not as good as expected, and the complete <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >JavaChip</SPAN > project was shelved in the Summer of 1998, not long after <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Krups </SPAN > was formally released. </P ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Dover"</SPAN > project was being worked on, but the <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Corona "</SPAN > project, which would go on to become the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun Ray </SPAN >, was the final nail in the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > 's coffin. </P ><P > So all indications are that this model is a piece of <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"vaporware"</SPAN >. It is included here though, for the sake of completeness. </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect3" ><H3 CLASS="sect3" ><A NAME="JavaStationProtoDescSection" >2.3.7. The Pre-Mr. Coffee JavaStation Prototype</A ></H3 ><P > After the original publishing of this HOWTO, word of one more "JavaStation" model surfaced. John Bodo, a reseller of JavaStation equipment, chimed in that he has a motherboard of a pre-JavaStation machine. It was made by Diba Corporation, which was later bought out by Sun. The unit was released as an early embededded Java platform that developers could use to build embedded Java machines. It has a Motorola 68030 CPU, 14.4k bps modem, ethernet interface, standard VGA interface and even a TV output. The prototype's date is circa 1996. </P ><P > See the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation Prototype</SPAN > at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/pre_js_1.jpg" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/pre_js_1.jpg </A > </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect3" ><H3 CLASS="sect3" ><A NAME="JavaStationFoxDescSection" >2.3.8. The Pre-Mr. Coffee JavaStation/Fox</A ></H3 ><P > After receiving word of the JavaStation prototype from Diba, yet more information has come regarding another pre-Mr. Coffee model. This one though, has a greater known history we can share here. </P ><P > This model was the JavaStation development box used by the developers of early JavaStation software. Basically it was a SS4/110 in a smaller, custom case similar to the Mr. Coffee enclosure, with more squarish profile. </P ><P > The case has an off-white color with lateral stripe in Sun gray. It sits like a Mr. Coffee would on its side. The front was a 1/2 cyclinder i design in Sun gray, has the Sun Logo, the word "Sun" under that, and the Java cup logo at the bottom. </P ><P > When booting up it claims to be a "JavaStation/Fox". The motherboard does not have a normal Sun part number. The CPU is a microSPARC-II running at 110MHz. The box has an onboard external SCSI connector, dual A and B serial ports, audio in and out sound ports (Crystal Semiconductor 4231, lance ethernet network interface, onboard PCMCIA (stp4020), one SBUS expansion slot, one AFXbus expansion slot, 2 72-pin SIMM slots (double-banked SIMMs only), and no on-board video. One would then add their own S-Bus frame buffer, or the 24-bit frame buffer from a ss5. Also, an optional internal SCSI laptop hard drive could be put in. </P ><P > The motherboard's part number is 501-2785. The CPU is dated 1995 while the NCR chips are dated 1994, establishing the time frame of the Fox. </P ><P > The NetBSD/SPARC FAQ has a few more words on the Fox at: <A HREF="http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/sparc/faq.html#fox" TARGET="_top" > http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/sparc/faq.html#fox </A > </P ><P > See the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation/Fox</SPAN > at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/fox_face.jpg" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/photos/fox_face.jpg </A > </P ></DIV ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect2" ><H2 CLASS="sect2" ><A NAME="WhyLinuxSection" >2.4. Reasons for Running <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux</SPAN > and <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC </SPAN > Myths Dispelled</A ></H2 ><P > It turns out that <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux</SPAN > makes the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > perform more than adequately on the desktop. Thanks to the dedicated work of the Linux developer community, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > offer users the low-cost, zero-admin, versatile desktop <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN >'s they were originally billed to be, but with the added freedom granted by the <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux OS</SPAN >. </P ><P > While low-cost <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN >'s now eclipse the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation </SPAN > in terms of default CPU speed and RAM size, the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > running <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux</SPAN > are still well-suited for a number of tasks: </P ><P ></P ><UL ><LI ><P > Diskless X-Terminal. (Gives the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > the capability of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun Xterminal 1</SPAN > hardware that they replaced). </P ></LI ><LI ><P > The <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > solution, Linux-style: local X + a java-capable browser can make the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > perform like they did with <SPAN CLASS="application" >JavaOS</SPAN >/<SPAN CLASS="application" > HotJava</SPAN >, only <EM >many</EM > times faster. </P ></LI ><LI ><P > A beowulf node, or a dedicated <SPAN CLASS="application" >RC5</SPAN >/<SPAN CLASS="application" > SETI@HOME</SPAN > client. The <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > running <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux</SPAN > makes a stable, long-lasting number cruncher. </P ></LI ><LI ><P > A small, standalone machine. While a task more suited on today's low-cost machines, there's not much that prevents the <SPAN CLASS="productname" > JavaStation</SPAN > from performing as a full-fleged standalone <SPAN CLASS="application" >UNIX</SPAN > machine by itself. Just remember to set your expectations appropriately when doing so; they were <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"low-budget"</SPAN > clients when they were sold, and should not be directly compared to today's workstation offerings. </P ></LI ><LI ><P > A small router and server, particularly with the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Espresso </SPAN > model decked out with added IDE disks and NIC. </P ></LI ></UL ><P > In all of the above scenarios, there is little to no maintenance of the machine once configured properly. Such is the advantage of the <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > hardware. </P ><P > <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > run so much better with <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux</SPAN > than <SPAN CLASS="application" >JavaOS</SPAN >, one would think that even Sun should have offered it as an option. Unfortunately, Sun had killed the line in favor of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun Ray </SPAN >. While the performance of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun Ray </SPAN > is good, keep in mind it is not intended as a dedicated computing device, and due to its firmware is little more than a graphics display hanging off your Sun server, which can give you some unexpected bonus features (translation: <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"brand-name product lock"</SPAN >). The performance on the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > with <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux </SPAN > will be similar to what you can get with a <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun Ray</SPAN >, but if ever you want to do something different with your machines, you have the flexibility to do so with the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN >. There was rumor of work to try and override the default behavior of the SunRay firmware, and make it into an adjustable computing device, but until that happens, running another OS on a SunRay is just a pipe-dream. </P ><P > Lastly, if you're thinking of switching to <SPAN CLASS="hardware" >diskless Xterminals </SPAN > on your network, you might consider the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations </SPAN > over stripped down <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PC</SPAN >'s. The hardware is standardized, smaller, and you do not need to worry about burning boot <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >PROM</SPAN >s and the like. </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect2" ><H2 CLASS="sect2" ><A NAME="JavaStationDeathSection" >2.5. Why <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > are No Longer Produced</A ></H2 ><P > Sun's official stance is that the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > line was terminated in favor of the new <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun Ray</SPAN > line. A trip to the former <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > section of Sun's website at <A HREF="http://www.sun.com/javastation" TARGET="_top" > http://www.sun.com/javastation</A > verifies this formal positioning. (fair use archival copy at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/texts/sun_js_site_death.txt" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/texts/sun_js_site_death.txt </A > ) </P ><P > As the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >Sun Ray</SPAN > is not an <SPAN CLASS="acronym" >NC</SPAN > in the traditional sense (it has a MicroSparc IIep CPU, but the firmware on the device prevents anyone from grasping it), there is no explanation why the two products could not co-exist. </P ><P > In talking to the users of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > in the pre-Linux era, you will find strong opinions as to why the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > are no more. The common thread in almost all opinions collected is that the software provided by Sun was inadequete for a production environment. Here are collected opinions from users of the Sun-provided software, included with their permission: </P ><A NAME="AEN774" ></A ><TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="100%" CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" CLASS="BLOCKQUOTE" ><TR ><TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="TOP" > </TD ><TD WIDTH="80%" VALIGN="TOP" ><P > I only used the Java Stations last summer while teaching 51 and 55/154. GoJoe was incredibly slow and I seem to remember having to login to several different screens and browsers just to be able to start anything. </P ><P > I had to apologize to my students for the slow and inconvenient machines --- I remember making some jokes about technological progress. </P ></TD ><TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="TOP" > </TD ></TR ><TR ><TD COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP" >--<SPAN CLASS="attribution" >Dr. Alex Ryba, Former Professor at Marquette University (Quoted March 2000) </SPAN ></TD ><TD WIDTH="10%" > </TD ></TR ></TABLE ><P ></P ><A NAME="AEN779" ></A ><TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="100%" CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" CLASS="BLOCKQUOTE" ><TR ><TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="TOP" > </TD ><TD WIDTH="80%" VALIGN="TOP" ><P > Well, of course the old JavaStations were practically unusable. It's not a matter of just my opinion; we used to have CU 310 full of students using the Xterms all the time. As soon as the JavaStations appeared there were NO STUDENTS in there at all. The JavaStations killed CU 310. Now that the JavaStations are (thanks to you) back up to speed, students are beginning to come back, but they've gotten out of the habit of working in our lab, and are used to working on their own in the dorms. I think this is a big loss -- they don't learn anything from talking to each other in the labs anymore. </P ><P > Ghostview was slow, etc, but even vi was too slow. I am used to typing quickly, and when the cursor can't keep up with me, I can't handle it. I would also have worked at home if I didn't have to be here. And there were those annoying red squares left all over the Xterm window when you were in vi. I had to type ^L every few lines to get rid of them to see what I was typing... The pits. The whole setup made me lose a lot of respect for Sun (although I try to separate the different product lines as much as possible); I also think Sun will not get respect for hyping a product like the JavaStation so strongly, and then just dumping it. I would wonder why anyone would not just dump Sun... </P ><P > BTW, the JavaStations, now that they are fast, are quite fine. I really like mine, and don't see why they aren't a viable product. </P ></TD ><TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="TOP" > </TD ></TR ><TR ><TD COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP" >--<SPAN CLASS="attribution" >Dr. Mark Barnard, Professor at Marquette University (Quoted March 2000) <TT CLASS="email" ><<A HREF="mailto:markb@mscs.mu.edu" >markb@mscs.mu.edu</A >></TT > </SPAN ></TD ><TD WIDTH="10%" > </TD ></TR ></TABLE ><P ></P ><A NAME="AEN786" ></A ><TABLE BORDER="0" WIDTH="100%" CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0" CLASS="BLOCKQUOTE" ><TR ><TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="TOP" > </TD ><TD WIDTH="80%" VALIGN="TOP" ><P > I believe that it was the triple combination of Sun's JavaOS, the Hotjava software, and GraphOn's GoJoe X-connectivity software which ultimately doomed the JavaStation line. </P ><P > JavaOS was always sluggish in performance for us. It was rated as having one of the slowest Java VMs by a ZDNet Online Magazane review at <A HREF="http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/javaguide/jfgr10.htm" TARGET="_top" > http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/features/javaguide/hfgr10.htm</A > . I speculate this was the the main cause of delaying the JavaStation's formal public release to April 1998. </P ><P > (fair use archive copy of the PC mag review at: <A HREF="http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/texts/pcmag_js_jvm_review.txt" TARGET="_top" > http://dubinski-family.org/~jshowto/Files/texts/pcmag_js_jvm_review.txt </A > ) </P ><P > JavaOS also always lagged behind the current Java developer spec (ie running Java 1.0 when Java 1.1 was prevalent, and Java 1.1 when Java 1.2 was issued). It was tough explaining to students why the books they were buying were all using the new event-model of Java 1.1, but they could not program to it and have it run on <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"the Java machine "</SPAN >. There were also some implementation problems with some of the AWT peers which sometimes made programming across platforms difficult. </P ><P > These performance and implementation problems were never addressed in subsequent build of JavaOS for the duration we ran it. I believe the last edition we had used a Java 1.1.4 runtime, when we had a Java 1.2 development kit on the server. </P ><P > The HotJava browser software suffered from not being able to handle web standards HTML4, cascading style-sheets, or the ECMA javascript. All of these standards were employed in commercial sites at the time, resulting in many sites that weren't viewable by the JavaStations. The Hotjava Browser engine also had serious printing problems with certain webpages, some of which appeared on Sun's own website! </P ><P > The HotJava Views task selector software also was rough. Users could have multiple apps running, but only one displayed at a time. Manipulation of multiple window panes was difficult (no minimization, no quick list to all apps, resizing not always possible). Flexibility users had grown accustomed to was tossed out in favor of this task-selector approach. On Sun's Java website there was a page boasting of a committee formed that decided this was the <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"right way"</SPAN > to make a desktop. Tell that to our users. </P ><P > The GraphOn Go-Joe software was by far the most damaging piece of software to the JavaStation line. This was an X-connectivity software Sun licensed from GraphOn to give users access to the Solaris servers' X apps. The connectivity worked via a daemon installed on the Solaris server, which was connected to by a Java connectivity applet on the NC side. This small applet (only about 250K) simply threw up the latest display state and sent back to the daemon the mouse and keyboard strokes of the user. Unlike Xterminals though, the actual Xserver process was spawned and communicated with on the remote server-side by the daemon. Communication between the GraphOn client applet and the server daemon was supposedly done by a patented protocol to compress communication and speed things up. However, the performance of X under Go-Joe was terribly sluggish, with horrible refresh rates (10-seconds for some page scroll refreshes). Many sites operators I spoke to elected to not run the Go-Joe software past a trial period for this reason. We had to run it though, as our users were heavily X dependant. Alternatives like Weird/X were not available at this time, and VNC proved not up to snuff given the slow JavaOS VM. </P ><P > This performance in Go-Joe alone was enough to give uninformed users the impression that the JavaStation was an underpowered machine, especially when placed side-by-side with the low-cost, end-of-lifed Sun Xterminal 1 hardware it was meant to replace. Our students left labs in droves, faculty were upset, and giving demos to outsiders was downright embarrassing. In reality the hardware was solid and stable, but was hampered by this new, untested OS and new, untested applications running on a new, untested hardware architecture. This triple-threat combination, and Sun's timeline for fixing the problems is what I feel truly doomed the JavaStation. </P ><P > I remember that in 1998, Sun publicized that it had rolled out 3000 of these machines in-house, including one on Scott McNealy's desk. One who has used the JavaStations with the Sun software would have to wonder whether he ever turned it on and used it solely for a day? Had he done so, I'm sure he'd demand things be done differently. (update Oct. 2001: many ex-Sun employees who've contacted me say they made great doorstops and paper weights.) </P ><P > Why Sun never ported and released its tried and tested XTerminal software to the JavaStation, or even a mini-Solaris, remained a mystery to us the whole time before we switched to Linux. It was only after we moved to Linux and the JavaStation line was formally killed by Sun when we learned from some inside Sun sources that Solaris actually was ported to Mr. Coffee, but released only internally at Sun. As a heavily invested customer site who had begged for help, this was not only disheartening, but insulting to discover. </P ><P > Lastly, the customer support we received at the time was horrible. We pled our case on more than a few occassions, but requests always seemed to fall on deaf ears. Calling up SunSolve for JavaStation help always resulted in a transfer to a Java <EM >Language</EM > engineer. If the Sun employees do not know their own products, that's a problem! </P ><P > >From our view, there no doubt was politics involved in this, and as customers, we were the ones to bear the results of this. We continue using Sun equipment when it comes to the proven models like the Enterprise-class servers and disk arrays, but on the latest low-cost desktop offerings, we will be forever cautious given the JavaStation history. </P ><P > Linux now proves the JavaStations are adequate machines, and Sun could take this bait and go with it. If they sell the JavaStations for $250 a piece and the JavaStation running a proven OS like Linux (or Solaris) with proven apps (X), the JavaStation makes for a great network appliance. The recent NetPliance I-Opener Linux hack and subsequent controversy proves there certainly is a market for this type of low-cost device. (Oct. 2001 addition: After the publishing of the Linux hack, NetPliance made their new hardware unhackable, and subsequently ran out of business. The demand for cheap diskless stations still exist. Today's hackable units are set-top receivers and failed internet toasters like the 3Com Audrey) </P ></TD ><TD WIDTH="10%" VALIGN="TOP" > </TD ></TR ><TR ><TD COLSPAN="2" ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP" >--<SPAN CLASS="attribution" >Robert Dubinski, former Computer Systems Technician at Marquette University (Quoted March 2000) <TT CLASS="email" ><<A HREF="mailto:rsd@dubinski-family.org" >rsd@dubinski-family.org</A >></TT > </SPAN ></TD ><TD WIDTH="10%" > </TD ></TR ></TABLE ><P > More comments and rebuttal statements by Sun employees are always welcome. </P ><P > (update Oct 2001): A year and a half of this document's existance and not a single rebuttal statement by Sun. There were a couple initial requests to omit this section, but I refused. After all, imagine a new reader who never saw a JavaStation before: They'd read to this section, think "Wow, what a great little machine..let me get one!", and then ask themselves, "If it did all this, why don't they make them anymore?". The bad must be included with the good, and to leave this section out is a disservice to all the users who suffered through the poor software and support during the official lifetime of the JavaStation. This section, therefore, is a necessity, and although this document is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License, the eagle-eyed reader will note that this section has been labeled as "invariant" to protect it from entities who may wish to bury it (which is precisely the reason why the Invariant clause of the GFDL exists). </P ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="sect2" ><H2 CLASS="sect2" ><A NAME="WherePurchaseSection" >2.6. Where to Purchase a JavaStation</A ></H2 ><P > Since Sun has canceled production of the <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN > line, it no longer sells them through their official channels. Sun contacts have informed me that all internal JavaStation stock was cleaned out and dumped in 2000. Therefore, All JavaStations are now found out in the wild. </P ><P > Your best bet to get <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > though is out on the open market. Educational institutions which received a handful from Sun as demo units are now trying to offload them any way they can (too bad they don't read this HOWTO). Search around the auction sites like Ebay and Yahoo Auctions, and you should be able to turn some up. </P ><P > A great resource for <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStations</SPAN > used to be <SPAN CLASS="QUOTE" >"Bodoman's JavaStation site"</SPAN > at: <A HREF="http://www.bodoman.com/javastation/javastation.html" TARGET="_top" > http://www.bodoman.com/javastation/javastation.html</A >. Sadly, as of October 2001, the domain bodoman.com seems to no longer resolve. Ebay may now be your best bet. </P ><P > Mr. Coffee is the most widespread JavaStation model, and has tended to sell around $30-80US consistently for the last year or so. </P ><P > Krups models more rare and sell at higher prices, probably because the stylish case still stands out today. Prices on Ebay are always over $100, but for Oct. 2001, their technology is definitely no longer worth that much. A good price would be $80-85US. Many reports have come from the UK telling of many Krups models getting dumped there. </P ><P > The Dover models were a very hush-hush thing when this HOWTO was initially published, but the secret is out: if you want one, go to South Africa. Dovers seemed to have been dumped there en masse. Pricing is unknown, but should be comparable to a Cyrix-266 PC clone. </P ><P > The Espresso and JavaEngine models are near impossible to find, so if you get one, consider yourself lucky. If you have a Fox, well, you're just too cool. Pricing for these models is likely a premium. (>$100US). </P ></DIV ></DIV ><DIV CLASS="NAVFOOTER" ><HR ALIGN="LEFT" WIDTH="100%"><TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="0" CELLSPACING="0" ><TR ><TD WIDTH="33%" ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" ><A HREF="metainfochapter.html" >Prev</A ></TD ><TD WIDTH="34%" ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" ><A HREF="index.html" >Home</A ></TD ><TD WIDTH="33%" ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" ><A HREF="backgroundrequirementschapter.html" >Next</A ></TD ></TR ><TR ><TD WIDTH="33%" ALIGN="left" VALIGN="top" >META Information</TD ><TD WIDTH="34%" ALIGN="center" VALIGN="top" > </TD ><TD WIDTH="33%" ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top" >Background Requirements for <SPAN CLASS="application" >Linux</SPAN > on a <SPAN CLASS="productname" >JavaStation</SPAN ></TD ></TR ></TABLE ></DIV ></BODY ></HTML >