Run Headless, Mouseless, Diskless

Windows machines can be set up and run without a keyboard or mouse, but you bascially can't administer them after that without plugging them back in. Because Linux supports remote operation, you can set up a Linux box, and then log into it remotely and operate it over the network just as if you had a keyboard and mouse plugged into the machine. Using X-windows, you can even run graphical applications remotely, even if the headless box doesn't even have a video card!

This setup is often ideal for setting up servers, routers, and other systems that rarely or never need input or output execept through the network. If you have a spare machine and a network, turn it into a web server, application server, file server, print server, and a compute server, without tying up scarce monitors and keyboards.

Linux can even be set up to boot off the network, reading and using files from another machine. Such a diskless workstation can be used as a full graphical terminal, running any application available on the network. This is a nearly ideal NC, or Network Computer.