[Cialug] Small and quiet Linux box suggestions

[Daniel A. Ramaley]

I'm considering getting a new main machine. I want something reliable 
and quiet with lots of RAM. CPU and graphics speeds are not as important 
for me as they are for people who do 3D gaming--my current machine is 5 
years old, and i'm thinking of replacing it mostly to get something 
smaller and quieter. (But faster as well would always be appreciated!) 
If i do get a new machine, it will run Debian Testing.

Has anyone tried running Linux on an Intel NUC, or other similarly-sized 
machines? The size and quietness of the NUC appeal to me. I'd worry a 
bit about its reliability though; i usually use at least some server-
grade parts when i build a machine (such as ECC RAM and a motherboard 
that supports it), but the NUC is definitely a consumer-level device.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else has recent experience with small, 
quiet machines. Either suggestions to consider, or things to avoid would 
be helpful. In the past i've always assembled my own machines from 
components, but i think i'll be able to get something quieter if i just 
buy one pre-made. If i do build one, i'm willing to go larger than the 
NUC; that is just one example. I'd like to keep anything small and light 
enough that it could potentially be put in a suitcase and hauled on an 
international flight though. (I know that's an unusual requirement, but 
i'm considering a move in the future.)

__
Daniel A. Ramaley
Network Engineer 2

Dial Center 122, Drake University
2407 Carpenter Ave / Des Moines IA 50311 USA
Tel: +1 515 271-4540
Fax: +1 515 271-1938
E-mail: daniel.ramaley at drake.edu