Energy-hogging Linux, what to do?

[dsr at tao.merseine.nu (dsr at tao.merseine.nu)]

On Sat, Oct 22, 2005 at 12:23:22PM -0400, Rich Braun wrote:
> Have any of y'all built low-power or solar-powered Linux servers?

I have a Netwinder -- a 266MHz ARM CPU that runs Linux.
Perfectly usable as an X terminal or a router, with two ethernet
ports and a serial port. It draws less than 15 watts.

There are other ARM-powered boxes around, some of much higher
performance, and none of much greater power draw. The Linksys
NSLU2 has been mentioned frequently...

I suspect the big power draw on my machines is the CRT attached
to most of them. But it doesn't make sense -- yet -- to replace
existing 17" 1600x1200 CRTs with 17" 1280x1024 LCDs at $300
apiece in order to save $50 of electricity a year...

-dsr-