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Date:      28 Jul 2000 09:14:27 -0400
From:      Chris Shenton <cshenton@uucom.com>
To:        James Wyatt <jwyatt@rwsystems.net>
Cc:        Shawn Kelly <kellysm_2k@yahoo.com>, mjy@geizhals.at, freebsd-isp@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Reliable rackmount servers?
Message-ID:  <lfya2ml7m4.fsf@Samizdat.uucom.com>
In-Reply-To: James Wyatt's message of "Thu, 27 Jul 2000 12:36:16 -0500 (CDT)"
References:  <Pine.BSF.4.10.10007271227490.64739-100000@bsdie.rwsystems.net>

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On Thu, 27 Jul 2000 12:36:16 -0500 (CDT), James Wyatt <jwyatt@rwsystems.net> said:

James> As usual, more recent experience is usually a better than less
James> recent. 

Good point, my compaq-near-death experience :-) was over two years
ago.


James> Hardware compatability usually gets way better over time and
James> onboard stuff for servers frequently leads available Unix
James> drivers a little.

But Compaq *always* adds "proprietary" hardware to their boxes. Even
the mainstream WinDoze vendors software for Compaq lags what's
available on other boxes with documented commodity hardware. (by
commodity I don't mean "cheap", but well known, like Adaptec, Intel
Ether, etc).

If the big boyz can't get docs from compaq quickly, then the free
software folks will be even more delayed. So, yeah, FreeBSD will
(eventually) run on whatever Compaq sells, but time to support the
proprietary HW will lag support on non-proprietary boxes. 

(IMHO you should not have to use some "special" vendor software which
only runs on one OS when you want to change your RAM size; that's lame.)


James> If you are a 'Compaq shop', take a machine you have there and
James> try installing on it. Change the DRAM and add a drive to prove
James> you can and try banging on it. 

Definitely a good idea. If the HW you *have* runs FreeBSD fine, then
use it. But be cautious if you buy *new* hardware -- ensure that you can
run FreeBSD on it before buying it.


James> FBSD will likely easily prove you can get more performance out
James> of your hardware.

Oh, yeah -- definitely.  I'm quite amused to run a couple ISPs on HW
which most WinDoze users wouldn't even have on their desktop "because
it's too slow". WinBloat.



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