Re: LUG: Server, funds, purpose - Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:56:07 -0500

Subject : Re: LUG: Server, funds, purpose

From : Richard Carter <rwcarter@ncsu.[redacted]>

Date : Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:56:07 -0500

>From what I gather from nilbus's post on the Reddit thing, here are the current plans for the server:
1. Persistent irssi connections to IRC, our main form of communication
2. Web application hosting/development area for PHP, Rails, django, etc., so we don't have to pay for hosting elsewhere.
3. Those working on Realm Linux packages and need a build and test server for that, requiring a hypervisor for virtual machines
4. File storage and hosting
5. git/svn repository hosting

My rebuttals:
1. Actually had a conversation about irssi just this (Tuesday) morning in #ncsulug. It's a great IRC client, and the funny thing is, it even supports disconnecting and reconnecting. If Bit's ability to leave messages is not enough, we can look into ways to log the chatroom to a public website using resources we already have. But really, are the discussions in the chatroom worth keeping a client open 24/7 for? I said it this morning and I'll say it again, I hang out in #ncsulug for amusement. I'm glad to be friends with all of you via the chatroom, but really the chat is not productive to me. I don't find it worth a dedicated server.
2. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want my web site to actually be hosted from a random shared LUG server on NCSU. Web development can be done quicker and easier on your own computer, and if you want a public website, either use any of hundreds of free PHP web hosts out there, or pay a few dollars a month for a web site.
3. This doesn't concern me at all since I don't develop Realm Linux. Does anyone run Realm Linux? Would this be a good return on investment, to spend a thousand or two on developing this? (this is an honest question, not sarcastic; I honestly don't know the popularity level of Realm Linux or really anything about it, other than it's a special NCSU flavor of Linux)
4. File storage?? Really? If you can afford textbooks, you can afford something like this, the LUG does not need to buy file storage for you: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148356
5. A git or svn repository /may/ be a legitimate concern... If we, the LUG collective, were developing things to put on those repositories. Are we talking about repositories to be used for each of our personal things, or a LUG project? If the latter, I'm all for it. But I'm paying for my own private SVN hosting to store my own code and I don't think this is a good way to spend money on a computer. Besides, shouldn't we be supporting open source? If it's shared among LUG past, present and future members, it may as well be out in the open on Github or Google Code, right?

Have we consulted other Linux User Groups in other universities to ask what they spend their money on? Perhaps some more developed/aged groups have found wiser ways to spend their money? Or even, what does the TriLUG spend their money on? I am against spending the money on a server, but I don't have alternate suggestions for the money.

Ricket

P.S. I really dislike that some (three) of us are trying to move this conversation into Reddit. Not that my opinion matters since they are officers, but I believe discussions should stay in email, not moved to Reddit or Google Wave or a forum or any other nonlinear communication method just because it's convenient for some.

Or in terms you may better understand... Windows is to cross platform as Reddit is to email. Three of us are Windows users. :-P

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