der.hans wrote:
<<SNIP>>
> 
> I like the size, but $400 is a bit pricy for a small appliance, I think.
> Then again, I'm wanting an appliance for non-desktop stuff. I don't need
> speakers, keyboard, mouse or even CDRW/DVD. Hmm, looks like that comes with
> two sets of speakers. BTW, what is an "Internet Keyboard"?

"Internet Keyboard" usually just means a keyboard with some extra buttons preprogrammed to run IE and/or Outlook.  Sometimes you can get Linux to use them, sometimes not.

> 
> Their essential box looks interesting. The pricepoint is about the same as
> the Fry's cheap box of the week special and doesn't include paying an m$
> tax. I think that might be my next box.
> 
> http://www.koobox.com/essentialkoobox.php
> 
> Anybody know if Linspire has stopped using root as the default/only login?

You can always just blast it and put your favorite distro on the system, same as if it came with Windows, except no payment to Redmond.  Given the less-than-stellar setup of Linspire, that's definitely what I'd do.

> 
> ciao,
> 
> der.hans
> 

==Joseph++