[Techtalk] How do I build a Linux Blackbox?

[Wendell Cochran]

Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2003 19:58:03 -0400
From: Subba Rao <subba9 at cablespeed.com>
To: Andrea Landaker <qirien at icecavern.net>

>> . . .  what exactly is a "black box"?  In general terms, it
usually refers to something whose inner workings are unknown, but
can be used anyway, but it seems like you are talking about
something different.  

> That is right.  It can also be called an appliance these days. You
rack mount the Linux black box/appliance and plug in the cables and
you are all set to go. . . .


Oh, so the _user_ will think of it as a black box?  OK.

Even so, Andrea & Elizabeth are right to suggest that in a discussion
by insiders `black box' can be confusing. 

You might instead call it a keyturn machine: you hand over the box & the
key to the user, who has only to turn the key . . .  

(Real-estate people talk about keyturn apartments.)

Wendell Cochran
West Seattle