Normally I hate these comparisons, but seriously: try a recent version of PostgreSQL (7.0 or 7.1). I work at a company with a heck of a lot of Oracle experience and was pleasantly surprised by the feature set and performance of PostgreSQL.
It supports triggers, transactions, procedural languages and what not. And it is far easier to set up and maintain than Oracle 8.1.7 on a Linux platform.
Of course, right tool for the job. Oracle still wins when it comes to enterprise features as clustering, data integrity and advanced security.
But for how long?
Don't discount open source databases because you've evaluated them a while ago. Check again, 'cause you'll be amazed at the progress being made. Which in some cases means going for the free alternative and spending some of the dough you've saved on extra hardware.
As others already pointed out: the G4 is probably your best option for intensive calculations.
But as the subject says, check out MacOS X first if you choose to buy a PowerBook, it might very well be all you need since it comes with a BSD layer that as far as I understand is compatible with FreeBSD, the GNU toolkit etc.
Hope this helps a bit, I am for one looking to try MacOS X first before I install a Linux distribution on my iMac.
Universal Power Units:) With Oracle, you choose between UPUs en Named Users. Named Users is a good idea when you have few users, like a central DB with a few terminals or a webapp with slow growth and less than about 50 users. Beyond that, UPUs. Mainly because Oracle measures users at the frontend, your webserver for example:(
The general idea is paying based on CPU speed and architecture. The calculation is like this:
Mhz x Multiplier x Price per UPU
With a minimum of 200 UPUs. So, for a dual proc Intel box with two 600Mhz P3s:
2 x 600 x 1.0 (Intel arch multiplier) = 1200
1200 x Price per UPU
Check the Oracle website for pricing details, but Oracle 8i basically starts at a few thousand dollars for the Standard Edition, the Enterprise Edition is a *lot* more expensive.
Another thing is the license period. Oracle offers 1-Year, 2-Year and 4-Year licenses as well as a 'Perpetual' license. The latter is a license without any time limits.
The 1-Year license is exclusively for webhosting but is also the cheapest to start off with since it's priced at 20% of the Perpetual license. You'll have to spend another 20% in a year though...
Oracle pricing has gotten cheaper lately (if I am not mistaken) but it still sucks:(
Of course I tried Google. And Altavista. And HotBot. Dug up the service manuals from Apple's Service Source, searched the relevant mailinglists. Eric's site has been in my bookmarks for about four months. Contacted the various hardware dealers mentioned on that page, as well as a few others. One can sell me a few things like a RAID card but not the original parts I need (the reset switch actually).
Some people actually do proper research first. Since I have been searching for a little over four months I thought I'd try Slashdot as a last resort before I consider throwing out the damn thing. I don't need another table...
So if anyone got one of those ANS's left, let me know. Or if you're interested in the parts that do work (power supplies for example).
And if someone has some pointers as an answer to the actual question...
Is an option I would look at; DVD-RW jukebox. Tracer Technologies has the software, Panasonic the hardware. Software enables stuff like disk spanning etc.
I download AND buy my Red Hat. Download because that's the fastest and easiest way to install a networked machine. Buy because I like having the CD handy and 'cause I think their work is worth my dollars. Will buy RH 7 when it comes out, even though I haven't even explored all CDs that come with RH 6.2 Professional Edition:)
The oldest box I have here is Red Hat 4.2. That's 1996:) Don't feel like moving to another distro though, maybe because I haven't tried Debian yet;)
But as far as downloading is concerned; a RH mirror on the same cable net is a big plus:)
Hmmm. Weird. I'm not entirely sure and can't check right now, but I think I've got the latest version available. It generates exceptions and other errors, after which it Win2K closes the program.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm IMAPing on an Exchange server;)
Tracer Technologies' feature-rich data management software for UNIX and Linux operating systems supports the Panasonic DVD-RAM drive and other leading DVD Forum standard DVD-ROM and DVD-RAM drives. Platforms supported include IBM-AIX, DEC Tru64, HP-UX, SGI IRIX, Sun Solaris, and SCO UnixWare as well as other leading UNIX and Linux environments.
After all, FreeBSD/OpenBSD are leading UNIX platforms. And with ports on so many UNIX flavors already available, it shouldn't be to hard.
Probably not, but the press release emphasizes the use of the MagnaVault software to control/operate DVD jukeboxes. Which is a very interesting idea, because the software seems to offer disk spanning, can reclaim space when deleting files etc. With data rates up to 22.16Mb/sec.
Impressive. Low cost per MB, 30-year data life, very interesting alternative for tape jukeboxes.
And see how they do it. They send you a playlist, which causes your browser to open your MP3 player (if your browser is configured correctly) which starts to stream the file requested.
Look at a typical MP3.com URL: http://chooser.mp3.com/cgi-bin/play/play.cgi/[sn ip session id]/electronic.m3u
Probably a simple CGI which stores the session data (things like IP, browser, OS etc.) and serves you the MP3 trough the playlist.
I've got 'Maximum Security : A hacker's guide to protecting your internet site and network' which is a pretty good book. Published by SAMS, and thicker than the NT Workstation Resource Kit;)
Highly recommended; the 'Cracked!' series of features from rootprompt.org. Look in the 'Features' sidebar.
But I would be very interested in having an alternative, especially one that puts the decision on which data to disclose into the hands of the user. Heavily encrypted data exchange etc.
I am not sure having such a thing as Open Source would the best option; it would allow any company or organization to fork from the project, adapt the system to what they want from it without notifying the users. One would need a supervising organization that could control the use of the data people store in such a system
BTW, Passport is a typical example of Microsoft's innovative strategy. Originally made by FireFly, I might not remember correctly but the system looked a lot better back then:(
Push technology was very hot in what year was it? 1995/96? Turned out to quite a disappointment. I am not saying that ASP isn't going to be hot - there are some very interesting possibilities for certain applications in certain situations - but don't jump into it with all you've got:)
The advantage to the consumer is of course that he/she doesn't have to worry about upgrading or maintainance of the device. I am not the personal computer is going to be the best platform for ASP services, but think of specialized appliances such as settop boxes. The main advantage on the provider side in my opinion is the control you can have over the services you offer; lock them down as much as possible, upgrade when needed etc.
Mmmm, centrally administered OpenBSD based settop boxes. That would of course ruin the fun of cracking your ex-girlfriend's settop and displaying appropriate content.
Buying hardware and donate it to developers that really need it is a good idea. Totally agree, don't donate it to the larger projects.
Another idea is services. Sponsor internet connectivity, source code distribution etc. If you're in entrepreneurial mode you might consider setting up a service like SourceForge over here in Europe. Mirror stuff, provide CVS, webhosting and the like.
Just thinking out loud here:) But my main advice would be since you seem to be located in Europe: sponsor/donate/support something over here.
If you are looking for fully integrated boxes, VA Linux and Penguin Computing can be helpful as well. VA has the Full-On stuff (2U), while Penguin has both 1U and 2U servers. The latter being - as far as I know - the only 1U server currently on the market that fully supports Linux.
We are currently planning to use them (Penguin 1U) as clustered front end nodes for a large project. Makes a big difference, especially since co-lo is quite expensive over here in Europe.
But as far as cases you can use yourself go; 4U is about the minimum you're going to get for a reasonable price. I had a link to a vendor selling NLX based 2U chassis, but I lost it. They are meant for industrial purposes though, so they probably are quite expensive.
Ah, the combined smell of leather and the legs of a creative female... www.geekculture.com. We can have a scent enhanced AfterY2K, think of all the possibilities!
I think that infrastructure is the most important quality of a 'wired' city. Whether is public transportation, clear navigation through the city, telecommunications, the business climate or entertainment available, a geek city needs to provide everything "withing arm's length".
I for example live in Hilversum, the Netherlands. It is one of the most wired cities over here, only Amsterdam is higher on the list. It is home to almost all nationwide television networks and because of that also a lot of creative and technical services companies.
I moved here a few years back because I had a job as internet developer with one of the public broadcasting networks. I decided to stay here and start my own company a while after that because of the infrastructure; public transportation is OK, although driving through it can be a nightmare:)
Telecommunications: almost the entire city has internet access via cable, while business can grow as needed; there is a CityRing (city-wide 100Mbps network) and international connectivity isn't bad either. MCI Worldcom has its headquarters here, and the nation's main backbone runs right through the city.
Add good shopping facilities, movie theatres and a bookstore (two actually) with all the tech literature you will ever need. You can be in the heart of Amsterdam or on the national airport within half an hour by train (the train terminal is underneath the main airport buildings). Or jump on your bike and be in open country within 15 minutes. There are almost no buildings higher than 6 stories, which gives the city a very friendly atmosphere.
Not a bad city to live:) Now if they would only finish restructuring the streets and not make everything one way...
I take it that you don't deploy Windows 95, 98 or NT either because of the vulnerabilities that those particular operating systems have, especially in networked environments?
What strikes me as a bit weird is that whenever the MacOS operating system has such a vulnerability everybody is going ballistic, like if it proves a point they have been making all along. Might be my peculiar way of looking at things tho:)
I've been working with all three operating systems for quite a few years now, and MacOS - at least up to 8.6 - remains the most secure out-of-the-box operating system out. A well tuned and maintained Mac server remains one of the most secure internet platforms out there. Is up and running in less than a minute, a snap to set up and maintain.
Of course, it has purposes it's best suited for and situations you'd rather not use one. Same goes for Linux, or any other operating system out there. Which is why I use MacOS, Linux and IRIX, and as little NT as possible:)
Cya bBob
(who is very happily running a mixed MacOS/Linux setup)
According to NetCraft, the 'asio.gov.au' runs IIS 4.0 on Windows NT... There is only a simple test page up on their website, built with Pagemill 2.0 on a Mac.
It isn't a reliable indication of the level of skill present there, but it does make me wonder...
look for bst.qb.2ndfl.bp.royal.gov.uk (the bedside table in the Queen's bedroom on the second floor of Buckinham Palace) Wonder if toiletcam.2ndfl.bp.royal.gov.uk is still up;)
Maybe the car stereo in Diana's Mercedes was running Windows CE. Paxman should have asked Bill about it. But then again, a good conspiracy is an unprovable one.
I know that. Point I was trying to make is that in general people will go the 'easier' way, and that it's an argument NT administrators could use as FUD against Linux.
Yeah quite nifty. Just reinstalled Windows 98 First Edition this weekend, connected to that site and had more that 13 security fixes to download and install. Not to mention all the other stuff that needs updating. Requires at least three reboots because some of the components don't install together with others.
Slashdot Mirror
It supports triggers, transactions, procedural languages and what not. And it is far easier to set up and maintain than Oracle 8.1.7 on a Linux platform.
Of course, right tool for the job. Oracle still wins when it comes to enterprise features as clustering, data integrity and advanced security.
But for how long?
Don't discount open source databases because you've evaluated them a while ago. Check again, 'cause you'll be amazed at the progress being made. Which in some cases means going for the free alternative and spending some of the dough you've saved on extra hardware.
Cya,
bBob
--
But as the subject says, check out MacOS X first if you choose to buy a PowerBook, it might very well be all you need since it comes with a BSD layer that as far as I understand is compatible with FreeBSD, the GNU toolkit etc.
Hope this helps a bit, I am for one looking to try MacOS X first before I install a Linux distribution on my iMac.
cya
bBob
--
The general idea is paying based on CPU speed and architecture. The calculation is like this:
Mhz x Multiplier x Price per UPU
With a minimum of 200 UPUs. So, for a dual proc Intel box with two 600Mhz P3s:
2 x 600 x 1.0 (Intel arch multiplier) = 1200
1200 x Price per UPU
Check the Oracle website for pricing details, but Oracle 8i basically starts at a few thousand dollars for the Standard Edition, the Enterprise Edition is a *lot* more expensive.
Another thing is the license period. Oracle offers 1-Year, 2-Year and 4-Year licenses as well as a 'Perpetual' license. The latter is a license without any time limits.
The 1-Year license is exclusively for webhosting but is also the cheapest to start off with since it's priced at 20% of the Perpetual license. You'll have to spend another 20% in a year though...
Oracle pricing has gotten cheaper lately (if I am not mistaken) but it still sucks
HTH
bBob
--
I really oughta formulate my posts a little better. The main thing was the idea of a kind of hardware exchange, not the ANS itself...
Thnx tho!
bBob
--
Some people actually do proper research first. Since I have been searching for a little over four months I thought I'd try Slashdot as a last resort before I consider throwing out the damn thing. I don't need another table...
So if anyone got one of those ANS's left, let me know. Or if you're interested in the parts that do work (power supplies for example).
And if someone has some pointers as an answer to the actual question...
Cya,
bBob
--
But then again, we all know what happened to .org ;)
--
Check these:
There might be other companies offering a similar product, but this is what I remember from an earlier discussion here on Slashdot.
Cya,
bBob
--
The oldest box I have here is Red Hat 4.2. That's 1996 :) Don't feel like moving to another distro though, maybe because I haven't tried Debian yet ;)
But as far as downloading is concerned; a RH mirror on the same cable net is a big plus :)
Cya,
bBob
--
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm IMAPing on an Exchange server ;)
Cya,
bBob
--
After all, FreeBSD/OpenBSD are leading UNIX platforms. And with ports on so many UNIX flavors already available, it shouldn't be to hard.
A page with platform info is available on the BakBone website (of which Tracer Technologies is a subsidiary):
http://www.bakbone.c om/products/tracer/supported_platforms.asp
It even states what to do if your platform is not listed :) So if *BSD is your game, get over there and ask 'm! Very politely of course.
bBob
--
Impressive. Low cost per MB, 30-year data life, very interesting alternative for tape jukeboxes.
bBob
--
Look at a typical MP3.com URL:
http://chooser.mp3.com/cgi-bin/play/play.cgi/[s
Probably a simple CGI which stores the session data (things like IP, browser, OS etc.) and serves you the MP3 trough the playlist.
bBob
--
Highly recommended; the 'Cracked!' series of features from rootprompt.org. Look in the 'Features' sidebar.
bBob
--
I am not sure having such a thing as Open Source would the best option; it would allow any company or organization to fork from the project, adapt the system to what they want from it without notifying the users. One would need a supervising organization that could control the use of the data people store in such a system
BTW, Passport is a typical example of Microsoft's innovative strategy. Originally made by FireFly, I might not remember correctly but the system looked a lot better back then
bBob
--
Push technology was very hot in what year was it? 1995/96? Turned out to quite a disappointment. I am not saying that ASP isn't going to be hot - there are some very interesting possibilities for certain applications in certain situations - but don't jump into it with all you've got :)
:)
The advantage to the consumer is of course that he/she doesn't have to worry about upgrading or maintainance of the device. I am not the personal computer is going to be the best platform for ASP services, but think of specialized appliances such as settop boxes. The main advantage on the provider side in my opinion is the control you can have over the services you offer; lock them down as much as possible, upgrade when needed etc.
Mmmm, centrally administered OpenBSD based settop boxes. That would of course ruin the fun of cracking your ex-girlfriend's settop and displaying appropriate content.
But I digress
bBob
Another idea is services. Sponsor internet connectivity, source code distribution etc. If you're in entrepreneurial mode you might consider setting up a service like SourceForge over here in Europe. Mirror stuff, provide CVS, webhosting and the like.
Just thinking out loud here :) But my main advice would be since you seem to be located in Europe: sponsor/donate/support something over here.
Cya
bBob
We are currently planning to use them (Penguin 1U) as clustered front end nodes for a large project. Makes a big difference, especially since co-lo is quite expensive over here in Europe.
But as far as cases you can use yourself go; 4U is about the minimum you're going to get for a reasonable price. I had a link to a vendor selling NLX based 2U chassis, but I lost it. They are meant for industrial purposes though, so they probably are quite expensive.
Cya,
bBob
Cya!
bBob
I for example live in Hilversum, the Netherlands. It is one of the most wired cities over here, only Amsterdam is higher on the list. It is home to almost all nationwide television networks and because of that also a lot of creative and technical services companies.
I moved here a few years back because I had a job as internet developer with one of the public broadcasting networks. I decided to stay here and start my own company a while after that because of the infrastructure; public transportation is OK, although driving through it can be a nightmare :)
Telecommunications: almost the entire city has internet access via cable, while business can grow as needed; there is a CityRing (city-wide 100Mbps network) and international connectivity isn't bad either. MCI Worldcom has its headquarters here, and the nation's main backbone runs right through the city.
Add good shopping facilities, movie theatres and a bookstore (two actually) with all the tech literature you will ever need. You can be in the heart of Amsterdam or on the national airport within half an hour by train (the train terminal is underneath the main airport buildings). Or jump on your bike and be in open country within 15 minutes. There are almost no buildings higher than 6 stories, which gives the city a very friendly atmosphere.
Not a bad city to live :) Now if they would only finish restructuring the streets and not make everything one way...
Cya,
bBob
What strikes me as a bit weird is that whenever the MacOS operating system has such a vulnerability everybody is going ballistic, like if it proves a point they have been making all along. Might be my peculiar way of looking at things tho :)
I've been working with all three operating systems for quite a few years now, and MacOS - at least up to 8.6 - remains the most secure out-of-the-box operating system out. A well tuned and maintained Mac server remains one of the most secure internet platforms out there. Is up and running in less than a minute, a snap to set up and maintain.
Of course, it has purposes it's best suited for and situations you'd rather not use one. Same goes for Linux, or any other operating system out there. Which is why I use MacOS, Linux and IRIX, and as little NT as possible :)
Cya
bBob
(who is very happily running a mixed MacOS/Linux setup)
It isn't a reliable indication of the level of skill present there, but it does make me wonder...
bBob
Maybe the car stereo in Diana's Mercedes was running Windows CE. Paxman should have asked Bill about it. But then again, a good conspiracy is an unprovable one.
Cya
barbaBob
barbaBob
Nvidia and Epic are working on solving the problem; the TNT drivers seem to load all textures into memory twice or something like that.
They offer a few workarounds in the meantime, worked for me, saw some improvements (W98/DX7/UT338) although it ain't as good as it can be.
Cya,
barbaBob
Yech :)
Cya,
barbaBob