TJH Internet SP is ready to bring you to the internet, and to bring the internet to you. We offer the ability to install Linux, the Internet-oriented peer-reviewed totally-free UNIX-compatible operating system. Linux will not cost you anything. We charge for installation, configuration, custom kernel compilation, and assorted other value-added services such as limited training.

Very special rates are available to local governments, charities, and low-profile tax-exempt organizations.

TJH Internet built 'earthops.org' from parts and just enough software to download Linux from the net. Earthops.org is a "Linux box". Curious about my system?

There's also a lot of documentation on Linux on the system page. Please also read an article which compares Unix and Windows-NT.

The advantages offered by a Linux box from TJH Internet SP are manifold:

Inherent Internet Compatability.
• Linux offers all of the standard connectivity features that one expects (ftp, telnet, etc.) but you can also ftp or telnet to a Linux host, without buying or configuring costly BBS software.
• Httpd web-server software for Linux is state-of-the-art, written by the US National Center for Supercomputing Applications. Or you might use the very-popular Apache server. Both are free.
• Your Linux host can support up to 64 concurrent users, and many more can have their own mailboxes. Any of these users may have a very large number of processes all running concurrently - Linux is inherently multitasking, subject only to the limitations imposed by the hardware upon which it runs.
• Linux boxes make superior central servers, and the Linux operating system can read and write to the filesystems of most other operating systems.
• SMB support for NT-serving is available.

Multiple languages are at your disposal.
• C, C++, Fortran, Perl, Tcl, TK, Java and other languages are fully-supported in their latest distributions. Supported by the Free Software Foundation and the GNU, X, and Open Group consortiums.

A vast array of software suitable for almost any use is available from the net for free.
• Scientific software is available for almost any imaginable use, including CAD, analysis, imaging, modelling, visualization, etc.
• Database software, front-ends, back-ends, server/client systems, and WWW interfaces, with or without SOCKS5 or SSL Secure Socket Layer, - all are available for Linux.

Inherent security, and almost infinitely configurable.
• Nobody gets onto your computer without their password, not even if physically present.

Support for CERT-ified military-class encrypted ppp connection is available, and recommended..

Graphic user interfaces are available.
• Xview, the Linux port of the Sun (tm) Open Windows graphic user-interface is available, or you could use the OpenLook Virtual Window Manager, which allows you to warp to virtual windows on an expandable desktop. Other window-managers are also available, and all are extremely configurable.

  You could take a look at a large screen-shot of my X desktop, complete with little annotations.

Remote and distributed execution/processing capability.
• Secure-ppp linkages can allow execution on multiple hosts, promoting modularity of local-area or wide-area network architecture.

Our fees are very reasonable. You can either supply the hardware, or we will aid in your selection of new or used equipment. Minimal equipment recommended is a 486 with 8 meg for non-graphic web-servers. A full-blown instance of a very nice Linux host with graphic user-interface will be a 5x86 or Pentium, with 32 meg of RAM. It is wise to add 4 to 8 meg of RAM for each additional full-time login user.

Due to the inherent networking and distributed-processing capabilities of Linux, an ideal configuration might be one Pentium with 64meg of RAM with a kernel optimized for RAID-serving, operating as a central server, intranet and X-server/log-host and number-cruncher, with peripheral Linux boxes in the 24 meg RAM 486 CPU category, one of which could be configured for firewalling and external web-serving, with a mere 8 meg of RAM and no display, on a 386 motherboard. This would be an ideal setup for a working laboratory facility, for example.

An "extreme" machine such as a dual-processor Pentium Pro clocking 300MHz with 128 meg of RAM, and a high-end PCI accelerated SVGA card would be an ideal graphics or number-crunching workstation for most scientific or engineering UNIX applications. Among such scientific or engineering applications known to run on Linux are Khoros 2.1 and 2.2, the Visualization Toolkit, and Vis5D. There is also a version of the exceptionally powerful simulation and modelling package created by the US Army Research Labs, BRL-CAD which runs on Linux.

We will work with whomever you select for your Internet Access Provider. In the Washington Metropolitan Area, we suggest ClarkNet, since they have the best connectivity around, and some years of experience and slow, steady growth.

Our Fees for Corporate Entities (Linux itself is free) :

• Basic Linux Install and Full Configuration - $150.00 (much less for cash-strapped local governments - We offer an initial install to the District of Columbia government for free), approximately six hours if you will be networked. Networked install includes setup of ppp interface and NCSA's httpd webserver or the popular Apache webserver.

• Additional Fee for X-windows X-configuration, OpenLook Virtual-Window Manager configuration, etc, approximately $100.00 depending on your setup. Requires access to your monitor and videocard specifications, which should be in your manuals. If you have a standard monitor and videocard, it may be less. $50.00 hour, approximately two hours - probably less, unless you want a lot of special effort and custom menus.

• Custom kernels compiled for your needs. The first is free of charge, since a custom compile may be necessary to fully-configure and enable your system.

• Basic training is available at $20.00 hour, one-on-one, and discounts are available for small groups. Basic training for non-sysadmins will probably take no more than an hour, and will primarily consist of a reading-aloud of a checklist I will distribute with the install and configuration, followed by a question and answer session. Linux comes complete with extremely comprehensive on-line documentation.

• Specialty needs such as secure-ppp, tcp-wrappers, mbone online broadcasting software acquisition and compilation can be had for a reasonable fee of $15.00 per hour, and in the process of doing this I will to the best of my ability teach you how to do this for yourself.

• Hardware Operations such as motherboard replacements, RAM or hard-drive upgrades will be performed at a competitive rates - and TJH Internet SP will endeavor to instruct any interested personnel in our techniques. If they're capable, we'll make sure they learn.

Anyone wishing to take a look at 'earthops.org' itself is welcome to leave me mail and apply for an account. that way you can see what sort of host you'll be getting.

Go to the EarthOps District Office Homepage.

Go back to the main EarthOps Homepage.