> I know there was discussion of Librettos before, but a quick search
> didn't turn up anything (is that new Alpha mail server w/ searching
> still in the works?), and I don't remember which models worked.

You will want to look at:

	http://www.cerfnet.com/~adorable/libretto.html

In short, don't get the 100CT if you want X to work, although XiG might
have a server that works for it.

> The 50s are now quite inexpensive, and a friend is looking at getting
> one, but doesn't want to run Windows. He's intrerested ion NetBSD if
> it'll work.

The 50CT ought to work fine. I just got a 70CT a couple of weeks
ago and it is mostly the same thing.  I actually haven't yet put
NetBSD on it but FreeBSD works just fine.  It was very convenient
to install via the parallel port ("LAPLINK" cable and plip). In
fact, I don't have a network card for it yet. There are patches
somewhere to get plip support in NetBSD/i386 but I don't think it
is there by default.

Also on that page you will notice that you can get bigger disks for
these things. Installing the 3.5 GB Hitachi disk in mine was easy.

> as well) ethernet card for it. Any recommendations, and any special
> considerations WRT the libretto?

The only real sticking point is that you won't be able to use the
floppy drive under BSD. Since the FreeBSD boot process (and I am 
pretty sure the NetBSD boot process as well) uses BIOS commands you 
can boot the boot floppy but once unix is running its dead weight.

Another nice thing is that as Christos pointed out, the power
adaptor is "smart" - I used it in Germany and Switzerland just fine
with only a plug adaptor (e.g. didn't need a stepdown transformer).

Jason