AFAICT, the hardware encryption thing was solved eons ago.

Or at least, none of my routers suffer from high CPU utilization when doing Wifi things.

Now I don't want to be accused of defending the NSA, but they are not exactly the most transparent organization in the world. Just as with the FBI, CIA and DHS, we can point to their obvious screw-ups and overreaches but I for one believe that the fact that we are not being nickel-and-dimed on the terrorist front is due in part to their work.

I mean, they have the records of 8 scrillion phone calls and access to everyone's hard drives. One would hope that they are actually able to do something with all that.

I'm going to go out on a limb and hypothesize that you are not Jewish.

Iran's only way out of it is to drop the nuclear program and stop being assholes.

Unless their plan is to nuke everyone and let Allah sort it out. You can't discount the idea that the Muslim extremists _want_ to see the world burn. Does the majority of the country want this? I seriously doubt that, but the mullahs sure do.

I've like to visit your planet some day. It seems like very interesting place, and much different from mine.

Given the way the hard-core Muslims talk, I would think that their plan (i.e., Iran) is to get the nukes, take out Tel Aviv, New York, Washington, whatever, and sit back and let Allah sort it out. It's kind of built in to their religion.

That said, the people of Iran as a whole are reasonable and just looking to live their own lives, just like us, and if there was enough of a popular uprising, supported by the West, maybe Iran's mullahs could be fettered and the country be allowed to rejoin the modern world. If only... oh, wait, that happened a few years ago and we sat on our hands. Oh, well.

Agreed. We are not the country we were 50-70 years ago. Not even close.

We might be again, but it will take some real pain and hardship before we collectively choose to sack up.

Everyone in the region also seems to hate everyone else in the region though. And Iran's economy is in shambles much like most of the rest of the economies in the regions are in shambles (excluding oil tycoons that is).

Don't get me wrong, I think Iran is behaving extremely stupidly. You're right that hate is holding them back probably, just let's acknowledge that the US wouldn't exactly be pouring money into them if they'd hold hands at UN conferences.

Seems like one could make a cape for BeagleBoard or an add on for Rpi with the IO and an emulator for the BBCMicro.

Actually I am impressed that it did see how similar Apes and people are. Honestly people getting upset over it are just a bit silly. The problem is people think that someone put person_of_african_descent == ape in the code and that is not true. The algorithm just confused one great ape with an expressive face with another. It is no more racist or intentional than the same system confusing a Camaro with a Firebird.
 

Doesn't mean systemd should be default across all dists

It isn't, but it's really not your choice if you aren't the one making and maintaining the distro, no?

Two words: Fork it.

Network security yes.
the OMG Cisco is buying them and the Gov will spy on me now is what I could live without.

Thanks Googleing is all fine and good but a recommendation from someone that used it makes all the difference IMHO.

This is for a cluster that is being used not an exhibit in a glass box.
I think modifying the existing power supplies is probably the best way to go today. Replace the caps and possibly the voltage regulators with newer parts might be a really good way to go today.
I would suggest starting a project to create a modern PS that could be a drop in replacement for the old one. It could use a lot less power and be more reliable in the long run.

Plus, if it's only a double-sided board, vias can be repaired fairly easily in a variety of ways. Anyone that's done enough playing around with electronics has screwed up a via now and again.