[clue-tech] Linux newbie needs suggestions for hardware purchase and Linux installation

[Jed S. Baer]

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:44:32 -0700
Diane Williams wrote:

> I need to purchase a system with Nvidia graphics because that is what
> the robotics software supports. Other users of this software have
> convinced me to use Ubuntu

Well, I got curious, and looked around. Neat project. I think I'd heard
of it before, but forgotten about it, which is unsurprising.

Anyways, it took a bit of looking, but I found this page:
http://playerstage.sourceforge.net/doc/Gazebo-manual-0.7.0-html/gazebo_opengl.html

I thought it curious that it would absolutely require Nvidia. My gut
feeling was more along the lines of OpenGL. That appears to be the case.

Not trying to steer you away from NVidia. I happen to like ATI better,
but that's because they're being more open-source friendly. I have no
need for bleeding-edge graphics perfomance, and compromising on
framerates or surface rendering isn't something I struggle with.

Up there at HP, where I work (for 2 more days), most folks in the Linux
lab run Ubuntu on Compaq laptops, and we have quite a few models
represented. Seems to work just fine.

I noticed that the iRobot Roomba vacuum is listed under the supported
devices. Leave it to a bunch of geeks to simulate and/or hack their vacuum
cleaner.

Just curious. Does the 3D simulator let you set gravity to zero?

jed