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PocketPC Wireless Webserver
Patrick Morris writes: "I learned that I could put Linux on my iPaq... so of course I did. I did a little research and found thttpd already ported to the ARM platform... So, I've got this poor little 206mHz ARM processor with 64mb running a webserver. Hey, it's kinda cool holding a webserver in your hand and being able to walk around with it."
I have to agree with you on this not being anything noteworthy. Slashdot has had a number of interesting wacky webserver postings over the years (including the one that was supposedly potato powered and one running off a pinball machine), but the iPAQ one just can't compete on pure novelty. Hell, the platform isn't even particularly underpowered -- I'm sure there are quite a few traditional Linux boxes that've run webservers with less memory and processor speed.
I could understand if it had some sort of actual feature on the site that related to its handheld nature (such as tying it to a GPS and allowing people to track the server), but that doesn't seem to be the case here (though it's slashdotted, so I can do little more than guess).
I was surprised to see Moshe Bar's web server handle the slashdot load just fine. He even says, The server handling this site is a noname PII 500Mhz machine with 256MB RAM, Apache 1.3.20, Mysql 3.23, Linux 2.4.18 and two IDE 6GB disks. Very simple hardware, but it still can withstand the Slashdote tide.
So what troublemakers really should do is stop writing trojans/bots and instead concentrate on building a community website and make sure it becomes really popular. Then, when you want to unleash a DOS attack, forget bots, IRC and all that other stuff, just post it and away you go! :)
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Oh bother.
Is it really that cool? (Disclaimer: It's slashdotted, so I can't see the details.) From the post, it looks like a guy installed linux on his ipaq and found a ported version of httpd, turned it on, and submitted the story. Big deal.
There should be a moratorium on the use of the apostrophe.
Max V.
NeXTMail/MIME Mail welcome
Really. Do us a favor, Taco & Co.: the next time someone writes in to say that he has a web server running on his ancient computer / handheld computer / kitchen appliance / Craftsman power tool / wife's electronic pleasure toy, please DON'T BOTHER to post it unless the submitter can reasonably claim that said device can handle the slashdot effect. Now, if they have a how-to / making-of site complete with story and pictures, on a server that can handle the load, now that's cool. But this assisted suicide of unusual web servers is just kind of pointless and perverse otherwise.
--Jim
The point is to do something like this to demonstrate that it can be done, because it'll find a use eventually. For example, wouldn't it be really handy to take this toy to a conference, and after giving a presentation, host the support files on it for the day or two? That's just one use I came up with in ten seconds. The reason for doing this may seem silly now, but then the reasons for networking PCs together back in 1980 were fairly dumb, too. Sure, an iPaq won't handle much, but maybe the iPaq2 (or 3 or 4) will have the bandwidth necessary to make this happen. Who knows? But saying it's dumb because you can't conceive a practical purpose for it right now is short sighted and arrogant.
Virg
Try reading the comment you replied to a little more closely. The person explicitly supported the notion of publishing these things if there's an actual story we can read. But in a case like this, all we have is a Slashdot summary that boils down to, "So I, uh, installed the prepackaged webserver and stuff on my iPAQ."
I hate the people who mindlessly bash every interesting project, but in this case, there's nothing to actually read about here. It isn't even an interesting hack, in that the webserver was apparently already packaged and ready to go. All this guy did was install it. And if he actually did more, we wouldn't know since there's no link to a robustly hosted story of what was done.