- JavaStation
The JavaStation was a
Network Computer (NC) developed bySun Microsystems between 1996 and 2000 intended to run only Java applications.The hardware is based on the design of the Sun
SPARCstation series, a very successful line of UNIXcomputer workstation s. The JavaStation, as an NC, lacks ahard drive ,floppy orCD-ROM drive. It also differs from other Sun systems in having PS/2 keyboard and mouse interfaces and aVGA monitor connector.Models
There were several models of the JavaStation produced, some being pre-production variants produced in very small numbers.
Production models comprised:
* JavaStation-1 (part number JJ-xx), codenamed "Mr. Coffee": based on a 110 MHz MicroSPARC IIe CPU, this was housed in a cuboidal Sun "unidisk" enclosure.
* JavaStation-NC or JavaStation-10 (part number JK-xx) codenamed "Krups": a redesigned "Mr. Coffee" with a 100 MHz MicroSPARC IIep CPU and enhanced video resolution and color capabilities. "Krups" was housed in a striking curved vertically-oriented enclosure.Models produced only as prototypes or in limited numbers included:
* JavaStation/"Fox": a prototype of the "Mr Coffee": essentially a repackaged SPARCstation 4 Model 110.
* JavaStation-E (part number JE-xx) codenamed "Espresso": a "Krups" with PCI slots and a non-functional ATA interface in a restyled enclosure.
* "Dover": a JavaStation based onPC compatible hardware, with aCyrix MediaGXm CPU.
* JavaEngine-1: anATX form-factor version of "Krups" forembedded systems .
* A68030 -based system designed byDiba, Inc. (later acquired by Sun) circa 1996, which could be considered a very early JavaStation-like system.In addition, Sun envisioned a third-generation "Super JavaStation" after "Krups", with a JavaChip co-processor for native Java bytecode execution. This doesn't appear to have been produced.
The JavaStation concept was superseded by the
Sun Ray series ofthin client terminals.Operating Systems
The JavaStation comes with
JavaOS in theflash memory , but it's also possible to installLinux orNetBSD on the JavaStation.External links
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/other-formats/html_single/JavaStation-HOWTO.html JavaStation Linux HOWTO]
* [http://netbsd.org/Ports/sparc/javastation.html NetBSD/sparc JavaStation information]
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