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ASUS bring out motherboard with built in Linux and Firefox - 15s boot time!

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Carol Haynes:
Hands-on
Hardware for Webware: A motherboard with embedded Firefox
By Rafe Needleman – October 10, 2007, 6:08 PM PDT

I just got a chance to try out a Webware PC: a computer built around the new P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP motherboard from Asus. What makes this motherboard be hardware for Webware is that it has a Firefox Web browser (running on an embedded Linux operating system) burned into ROM. It also has Skype. You turn it on, and in fifteen seconds (I timed it), you can be in Firefox and surfing the Web.
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See http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9795472-2.html?tag=nl.e776 for the full article and video.

Looks like a really interesting concept - you don't have to use Linux but it is there if you want it without having to install much! Not sure how ready it is for real use yet but if things head in that direction MS will be worried!

For full tech spec see: http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&l2=11&l3=572&l4=0&model=1872&modelmenu=1

Lashiec:
A more in depth look at Phoronix. It looks like the idea of the embedded OS was a evolution from the GUI used in the Asus EEE notebook. Anyway, like hinted at the end of the Phoronix article, the best thing are the possibilities a feature likes this could poise for the future, both for users and for enthusiasts.

urlwolf:
But can you add several dozen plugins to FF -to make it usable and useful- and still write the resulting chunk on the MoBo? (same for linux, mindyou). If this is a read-only thing, that can only be written with a special procedure (like the BIOS) it won't be very useful...

Carol Haynes:
No you can't add extensions - but if you just want to quickly browse the internet, check your emails or use Skype it is a good idea. I think this would have a great future on laptops too. One of the 'features' is security because it cannot access hard disks from the built in Linux. It does mean that anyone can use the computer with having access to screw up you desktop installation.

This is the first of it's type - hopefully it will move down into cheaper boards (this one is the most expensive ASUS make at the moment) and develop further.

There is no real reason why in future a partition can't be added to a hard disc (if they want to keep it insulated it could be a protected partition in some way) to allow other software to be installed including plugins etc. and possibly even a full implementation of Linux in ROM. They could use programmable (EPROM) memory chips to allow updates.

The best bit would be that it comes integrated with the necessary drivers for the mobo hardware - including an 802.11n WiFi interface - which is pretty cool.

Ralf Maximus:
There's something VERY appealing about being able to boot your computer even if drive C: is toasted, without resorting to bootable CDs.

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