[rescue] SunHELP Status Update

[microcode at zoho.com]

On Thu, 29 Nov 2012 18:09:26 -0600
Bill Bradford <mrbill at mrbill.net> wrote:

> I just posted a news item to the site, one of the longest I've done in a
> while.  Please take a look; I would love your feedback.
> 
> http://www.sunhelp.org/2012/11/29/still-here-still-going/

> Speaking of Oracle, Sunbs b
newb
 owners (itbs been a few years now, hasnbt
> it?) b Ibve not seen otherwise, and I canbt speak for all of the
> Oracle/Sun employees, but their attitude towards the hobbyist community
> and sites like mine seems to be a large upraised middle finger. Ibm not
> even able to run SunHELP on actual Sun / Oracle hardware or software, as
> the cost of a support contract in order to get Solaris patches is more
> than any income that this site brings in nowadays (basically zero). 

I realize we can't get patches but is there anything that critical (besides
the free and never-ending Java "security" updates Oracle keeps pumping out)
to stop you from running SunHELP on an older copy of Solaris? I've been
using my Sun-entitled Solaris Update 8 and things have been mostly fine.

> My question to you, the Sun and Solaris and SPARC enthusiasts, is b is it
> worth it?

No question, it is.

> Do you get any benefit, education, or enjoyment out of my continuing work
> keeping this site and the mailing lists going?

Yes, it's one of the best Sun sites around and the lists have one of the
best S/N ratios of any mailing lists I receive. I would like to see you get
a copy of Sun Shack's stuff (personally I'd like a copy also) and hopefully
a mirror of the other Sun site that went offline recently.

> Has it helped you solve a problem, defeat an emergency, b
put out a fireb
,
> be a hero, get a job, keep a job, get a better job?

When I found my mother lode of Sun servers I had never seen one before
that. I had lots of questions and the guys on the lists helped with
explanations, good advice, and even free bits and pieces I needed to get
them going. Will and Lionel and Geoff all offered to send me connectors and
other small parts. Will sent me a key halfway across the world and didn't
want anything for it. To me this is exactly what a enthusiast group should
be. In turn, I make my machines available for various open source projects
that need an occasional Solaris SPARC box to build or test on. I wish I
could run them all the time, but I can't, so I schedule time when various
projects need it.

> Have you learned anything that you might not have found out anywhere
> else? 

I don't know if the information wasn't available anywhere else, but your
lists and your site are the best, first stops to find stuff if you don't
already have the doc from Sun. I was mystified by the Sun serial cable
requirements but your site had the info. I found the vendor I bought from
(showmecables.com) recommended on your site too. And another vendor I did
business with (workstation.net) is sponsoring your site now. These two
shops are *good* shops. They ship worldwide and they do what they promise
at a fair price.

> Have you scored awesome computer systems that a company was just going to
> toss out, and got them running at home?

I sure did, that's how I found your lists and site. I had a friend who told
me his company was dumping a pile of Sun boxes. I had no idea what they
were but I knew I wanted to find out so three months later I drove over
there in a rented vehicle and picked up a bunch of servers. Oh, happy day!
But I'm too far away to trade with most of the guys on the list so these
boxes are all I have and my collection is unfortunately not in any danger of
growing. It was a miracle to get the stuff I have now.

> Does your spouse understand the desire for raised flooring in the garage? 

"I ain't even got a garage, you can call home and ask my wife!" Points for
anybody who remembers where that line came from. But sure, I'm a mainframe
guy...I know what raised floor is. And I have stories, too.

> Update: Donbt worry b I have no plans to stop doing all this or cease
> hosting the mailing lists and web site! Ibd just like to know, for my own
> personal knowledge, what benefit youbve gotten out of everything here. 

THANK YOU, Bill, for all you're doing. And thanks to the list members for
being there. Too damn broke to help you, but I can say thanks, and you know
I do that at least twice a year.

Israel