University of Twente Back Online

UncleH writes "University of Twente is back online again, after the University NOC burned to ashes on wednesday. This also means that the much discussed University Campus network is also fully available again. The university already had internet access through a masquerading box in the network of their neighbours. Big hurrah for the network engineers of the University, large applause for the network engineers of SURFnet for restoring the 10Gbps Point of Presence within 36 hours after the fire."

Comments

wow

[tps12]

I'm surprised to see such outpouring of emotion over this event. The first story had hundreds of comments, and this one looks like it's headed the same way. Frankly, I'm saddened. Granted, fires are scary things, and shouldn't be taken lightly. But come on...no one died, and a single building of computers burnt down. Considering the violence and tragedy that occurs around the world every day, is the loss of a couple thousand dollars of (insured) plastic, metal and silicon really cause for such dramatics? I know this is "News for Nerds," but nerds are people too. Or so I thought. Sometimes I wonder if there's any humanity left on Slashdot...

Re:wow

[circletimessquare]

I agree. this is the third story related to this: the original fire, then a focus on backup policies, and then a follow up? honestly, why is this fire treated with such interest? basically, a building burnt down. it had a bunch of computers in it. why should we be interested?

"well you answered your own question, it's really about backup and emergency handling and rebuilding efforts."

ok, but show me how this fire is different from maybe 100 other fires of a similar nature with similar cause and effect and a similar bandwidth size that didn't warrant a peep from slashdot. i mean c'mon, what next? "backhoe causes intermittent net access failure to bucks county pennsylvania! film at 11!" frankly, who cares?

i don't get it.

i don't think we need a story system like kuro5hin, but howabout this: since we already metamoderate the moderators, why not metamoderate the editors? if the problem is that you can identify the editor who posted the story, well, start hiding the editor's identity on the original story so things don't get stupid and personal. hide the story submitter's identity as well. i think the editors can handle the blow to their egos, having their little tags removed from the story post. and as someone who has had 2 stories posted here, i can handle not having my name appear on the story i posted, what do i friggin' care?

oh boo hoo hoo! i live to see my name on slashdot! lol ;-P

Re:wow

[Idarubicin]

Considering the violence and tragedy that occurs around the world every day, is the loss of a couple thousand dollars of (insured) plastic, metal and silicon really cause for such dramatics?

If there was a fire in the Louvre, and nobody was hurt, there would be no cause for concern, now would there? If the Mona Lisa was turned to ashes, why should we care? It's a hundred bucks worth of canvas and oil paint. Might be worth a bit more if it has a nice frame. On the other hand, it's pretty old, so we would have to account for depreciation.

Physical objects can have emotional and cultural significance. Some good stuff has come out of the University of Twente. Many on Slashdot know (or are) good people who have been greatly inconvenienced by this event. No, it's not the Louvre, nor is it the Tower of London, nor the Parthenon, nor even the White House. (Incidentally, soldiers from Canada burned the original President's Mansion during the War of 1812.)

But we are nerds, and our monuments happen to have a slightly different flavour--more functional than ornamental (I do include the White House in this comparision.) Why shouldn't we have something to say about it? Besides, if you read the posts, many tongues remained firmly in cheek. Lots of smiles about hot pr0n, and reference to The Register's photo collection of the World's Worst Server Rooms.

Re:wow

[OneFix]

I think it's frame of reference. Everyone on here has likely seen a fire...most of us have networking/data center backgrounds (to some extent)...the issues are important for some of us...

But I'm actually surprised that you somehow think that sympathizing with one cause somehow means that we are unsympathetic with another...

Re:Makes you realise how much you depend on it...

[puto]

Not to be a jerk, more like devils advocate.

My univerity had all those resources in the early 90's as well.

But:
1. Usually all teachers give out contact info besides email and ICQ. Telephones and such.

2.University Telephone Directory? Call information?

3.Good old fashioned book learning?

4. Dont trust computers to keep vaulabe stuff you need for exams, copies should have been made at least 3 weeks before exam.

5. If you know the material, what difference if its a new exam? Unless you have one from a testbank and have only studied that instead of the answers. Besides if the exam burned, it is your teachers problem.

And last but not least you can leave your dorm/apartment and walk your lazy ass over to wherever your information might be, or to the campus and see who knows what is up.

This is the problem these days, too much reliance on the computer. All of the items you mentioned could have been solved with a quick walk. Or using something as archaic as a telepone.

I for one would have been watching the action, walked around campus, looked at chicks, talked to my teachers, got involved in the mix.

Do you think in those two says there were more people getting laid? Riding bikes? Doing something other than vegging out?

I was an CS major and I was encouraged to only have email communication. But I went around, talked to my professors, did other stuff. No one ever beleived I was a CS geek.

Just a few thoughts.

Puto