I wrote:
> > Second point is, if you're going with a Linux box and you're *not*
> > interested in learning the ins and ours of Linux, getting into the guts
> > of the system, and parting your own box together, you may want to
> > consider a Cobalt Qube or RaQ Microserver (www.cobaltmicro.com). I
> > can't speak from personal experience but by all accounts I've
> > heard so far, they're pretty solid, and very easy to bring up as a web
> > server.
Javilk writes:
> Cobalt has been spoken well of on the Linux lists. I have seen one,
> but can't quite understand the advantage, since here in sillyclone valley,
> you can pick up used 486's and even pentium boards and boxes for a lot
> less...
There are several key points here. First is that it's a
higher-end box than a 486; don't compare apples and oranges. Its
performance is supposed to be (and supported by at least the Linux
Journal review) about 200Mhz Pentium level (the chip is actually MIPS
RISC chip). So compare the price to a 200 Mhz pentium.
Even if you do compare the price to a 200Mhz Pentium, 16 MB RAM,
1.2 gig HD, you're probably going to find that you can scrape together
a box for less. Fine. Now go back to the drawing board and see what
you can find "off-the-shelf", since part of the whole point of the
product is that it's quick & painless to deploy, and part of that
means it's ready to roll without any assembly. Certainly, a skilled
person can find ways to shave dollars, but then again you're not their
precise target audience.
Even if you were, consider how many hours it would take you to
part the box together, download, build and install the software. Now
factor that times your consulting rate. Which one makes better sense
for a client to pay?
Additionally, by all accounts this thing is very easy to
administer, which makes it a win for your generally already-busy
sysadmin/MIS, not to mention a win for folks who are not Linux-adept
and don't want to have to become Linux-adept in a blinking hurry.
Finally, one presumes (hopes) that the hardware & configuration
on the Qube or RaQ is well-engineered, unlike the great majority of
no-name PC clones. Parting together a random PC is one thing.
Putting together a PC with well-chosen parts that are reliable and
well-integrated is another thing. Cobalt is pushing these things as
painless & easy, which means they should have put some skullsweat
into making sure the parts were very compatible and reliable.
> and the Cobalt does not have the ability to act as a firewall box;
> it hooks to your LAN.
This is a major issue, although I've heard they're working on this
one, after getting many requests from customers.
All in all, not necessarily the best thing for a Linux box, maybe
not even the best thing for a Linux server (if you have bucks to
spend, think about a VA Research box. If you have BIG bucks to spend
and you want to run Linux, think about a Sun box, because Sun makes
pretty good hardware). But quite decent in its price range and niche.
I'd still like to hear from somebody who has direct experience.
All of my comments are based on hearsay and supposition; I'd like to
hear if it lives up to all that.
Steven J. Owens
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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