Decidedly OT (or is it?): DFS auctions on ebay.

[SE_2K]

At 05:26 PM 11/26/2003, you wrote:

  For a pittance, compared to the price of a new
  one, you get a machine that's been gently(ish)
  used by some corporate folks off lease, without
  an OS, and can make it whatever tool you need
  it to be in short order.  For those with a fondness
  for opensource OS/software products, it's even
  cooler, who needs windoze anyway?

...and DFS eBay stuff goes for less that what they ask on their website.
they are pretty easy to upgrade. There's a world of motherboard swaps and
all, and replacement batteries are almost cheap (even the hicap Li-ion).
It's very handy to have a box you can run in the car for logging, etc. or
even navigation.
I say run Debian/unstable! Maybe a Knoppix version - it seems to run well
on oldish dells I've tested.

-Stede Bonnett
my 2.4 JPY