After my blog post the >other day I started thinking how I could improve the portable Joomla training suite.
Currently at the start of each training session I provide the trainees with a USB stick with a suite of portable apps including XAMPP and FireFox.
This ensures that they are all running the same software and I can pre-install some sample Joomla sites to use during the training.
Unfortunately this only works for Windows users and I don't like solutions that exclude Mac or Linux users.
So what I really need is a Wireless Access Point (WAP) and a web server so that I can create my own training network all connected to a single web server. This will support all operating systems and prevent the regular sessions of USB Frisbee when I realise that I forgot to add something to the stick.
As a bonus if I could connect the server to the portable broadband then everyone would have Internet access as well.
Of course being a server it could operate headless (without screen, mouse or keyboard) but how am I going to fit the WAP and web server into the bag. It wouldn't be the same portable training suite if it has to fit inside a suitcase.
After a lot of searching I have found the solution a fit-pc.
A Linux web server and WAP all in one box 10cm x 10cm x 3cm (approximately 3.5" x 3.5" x1").
The system specifications are more than adequate for the job and at $300 its more than affordable.
Even though I'm used to tiny laptops it's hard to believe that you can squeeze a server into such a tiny space.
Now you can't get much smaller than that and best of all there is just enough room in the bag for it.
(If you followed the links to the fit-pc web site you will have spotted that they use Joomla as well so it must be good)
