[clug] Multi-seating (linux Digest, Vol 94, Issue 17, Message 8)

[Miles Goodhew]

Francis,

> Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:46:47 +1100
> Message-ID:
>        <AANLkTi=n8_PW=rt0CtzdRD6Js7m5+cvVOdgRcOpg9a9Y at mail.gmail.com>
>
> Does anyone have experience with multi-seating in linux?  I am wanting

  No, but it has always intrigued me how you'd cobble-together an
X-setup with multiple input devices and screens to do so.

> to seat up a kiosk style computer for an ultra low-powered, rugged
> outdoor setting, and realised that I could perhaps dual-seat it
> without hugely increasing the hardware/chassis cost if its designed in
> from the start.
>
> The intended specs are either be a SBC-FITPC2 (Atom Z530 1.6) max ram

  Wow!, 2 users sharing a single Z-series Atom! (Does each user have
to bring their own AA battery? :-)

> (1gb) and 60GB SSD or an Intel D945GSEJT atom N270 with similar specs.
>
> Would a dual-seat set up be:
>
> a) Stable?
> b) Able to handle both seats playing web video (~ youtube quality) simultaneous?

  Providing the display hardware handles video decode ("XvMC" - which
is likely), it seems technically feasible from a "hardware-capability"
perspective (CPU mostly just has to shunt data, which it is more than
capable of). You may need to be especially efficient/frugal in any
bespoke code you have to develop for it though.
  FWIW I have experienced no performance differences between N and Z
Atoms - Infact my Z-series netbook (Dell Mini-12) is slightly more
capable due to its weirdo graphics chip very nearly coping with 1080p
video decode (But requires hand-rolling a driver for each kernel
update).
  In any case, I'd be interested in hearing more about how you
progress with this.

M0les.

-- 
Miles Goodhew,
Executive Computer Scientist