A "Sony PCG-U3":http://www.dynamism.com/u3/main.shtml

In breif: Crusoe 933 MHz processor 6.4" (XGA) TFT-LCD 20gb HDD 512mb RAM 1.8 pounds 7.3" x 5.5"

I understand that I could maybe make a smaller server with a nano-itx board, but not with a keyboard, display etc. in such a portable package.

So far, I have Solaris 10 installed and running, from a PXE boot jumpstart install. That was neat, not as easy as booting a SPARC, but not bad once I got the proper DHCP/BOOTP settings in place.

Unfortunately the box that did the initial jumpstart is currently unable to see it's root disk. So I can't use it to share the media to do the setup install server. I have all the hardware I need to recover one way or another, but I don't currently feel like scavaging from my firewall for another scsi card so I can see both sides of my old HP NetStore JBOD.

So the next step is probably to nfs share from my laptop to the PCG-U3, possibly between commercials during the superbowl.

Virtual Desktops should be familiar to anyone who is/has used an X window manager.

Effectively virtual desktops allow you to ararbitrarily aggregate windows to reduce window clutter.

e.g. I have desktops for Mail, Browsers, Office Applications, Photo Manipulation, Local and Remote terminal windows, and Code Development.

All of which are acaccessibleia hot keys and all of which have the appropriate windows directed to them when new windows are created.

I have recently found an interaction bug with Virtual Desktop and Firefox/Thunderbird. Fortuneatly I have also found a work around.
The problem presents as Firefox/Thunderbird (F/T) occasionally not accepting input from the keyboard, although they do respond to mouse events.

The workaround:

If F/T are not responding to keyboard input, switch to a different desktop and back. This has fixed the issue every time, since I have started using it.