Re: [Sheflug] Sheflug - Seems to Okay Now

[John Southern <john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tuesday 21 November 2006 16:31, Lesley Anne Binks wrote:
> Anyhow : I have a slight disaster on my hands .. my main
> workstation has gone down and I am left with a 700MHz
> Pentium III laptop, a 500MHz Celeron and a 486.
>
> Sod's law is in full force on this side of Sheffield because
> I got a 'doze based contract to get going two days before
> the box went down and that was the only box I had capable of
> running XP.
>
> This highlights the issues of self-build or self-repair
> against a more professional solution.
>
> I'd like recommendations on people or companies who are able
> to supply/repair Linux/BSD compliant boxen that work at a
> reasonable price without it flashing more blue neon than a
> cop car and looking like it belongs in a 15 year old's
> bedroom.

Most hardware these days is remarkable stable and self repair is usually going 
to cost you only part of a full system. There is always the temptation to 
want to buy all new, faster, brighter, glittery bits, but if you can resist, 
then it is very cheap. Either the monitor has blown or you can reuse, either 
the CPU is fried or you can reuse, etc.,

It all depends on your need for speed. Speed in being able to get hold of 
parts. A full build usually takes about 40 minutes for the hardware plus 
installation time (Anything from 30 minutes once you have found the Debian CD 
to a couple of months for an unhardened Gentoo compile ;-)    )
As it is all like Lego these days, no one should ever consider buying a ready 
built box unless they need the four hour on-site support.

If someone has not built a box, then I am sure everyone on the list would be 
willing to help. Once you have done one, you will always build your own as 
that way you know it is done correctly.

Software is a different problem anyway. Even a 'doze box will need 
configuring, so it is just as easy to have a master disk and your backups.
(Yes I know I need to do a backup, but I am just waiting until I have a spare 
hour or two to do it properly....been saying that for a month now)

I tend to keep a DVD ready with distro of choice on, a piece of paper telling 
me what I need to configure for a minimal system, a box of DVDs with backup 
data from the last time I bothered to backup, for each system and location.
I also have a VMware image ready and configured for real emergencies on 
harddrive.

Hardware I tend to buy from whoever is the cheapest/closest depending on need, 
so Scan is cheap, but I have heard disaster tales when trying to return 
goods. For pricing I tend to compare something that everywhere will carry 
such as a DVD-RW (Scan £17.80, Aria £25.20, Sheffieldcomputers £48, PCWorld 
£33, eBay £25.90)

For commercial clients I do use full hardware support, but at £3K upwards per 
box, the client is always footing the bill.

If I know the client is happy to pay then I have used pre-built before now. 
GND (before they went bust) in London or DNUK. Both excellent as they really 
tested everything beforehand.

Beyond that, I guess I would ask on the list for help, either the loan of a 
box, repair of smouldering ruins or any old parts people have lying around.

Regards
John

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