[rescue] The onyx godness

[Jeffrey J.Nonken]

On Mon, 13 Jan 2003 12:40:04 -0500, you wrote:

> > Why? It seems like a lot of effort with little return. I've had the
> > things
> > for four months and I can't even turn one of them into a
> > firewall/router.
>
>
> What have you got? I've missed a lot of mail the last few months.

I don't think I've actually mentioned it before. Mostly I've been lurking and
tossing in an occasional comment.

A SPARCStation 20, a SPARCServer 20 (which I gather are identical aside from
the label on the cover), dual 85mhz processors in each. One of them has the
drive cooling fan add-on. Approx 336MB of RAM. Several internal drives
ranging
from 1GB to 4GB and 4 or 5 carriers. Three external drives, a 1 and two 2s.
One internal CDROM drive. One type 5 keyboard with the power keycap missing.
Some SCSI cables and a terminator. One DDS1 tape drive in enclosure. Solaris
8
in a box, complete with manuals. Solaris 9. One framebuffer. One wide,
differential SCSI adaptor. One hme0. He also sold me a DDS3 drive for $40,
which I'm using for my PC backups. He tossed in a couple books, including the
Idiot's Guide to Solaris 9 and a "complete" Solaris 8 reference (Samms, I
think).

Another friend gave me a DDS2 drive and box, another cable, another
terminator, a few tapes. Smells like stale cigarette smoke. :)

Since then I've bought a couple more SCSI cables, two video cable adaptors,
two type 5 keyboards and mice, an 8MB VSIMM, a slightly more modern CDROM
reader... that's all I can think of. I'd by more RAM and another VSIMM, maybe
more hard drives, but I'm on a budget. I've also found some DDS1 tapes that
my
employer no longer needed.

>
>
> > software that came with it. I don't really have much use for an SS20,
>
> Sure you do. Turn it into a firewall/router.

I have one of those. I'm not wild about it, I'd like to put a *n*x box up,
but
it works. It's worked for me for the last three years. I can re-create it
from
scratch in a few hours, except the NAT software configuration file, which has
been backed up to tape a gazillion times. The default configuration is usable
anyway. Most of that time is spent installing Windows 98SE. *shudder* I've
got
the OS not shouting all my info to the world on port 139, and it is a
sacrificial box with none of my important passwords stored on it, but you can
see why I'd prefer something a little tighter. Still, it lets me access the
Internet, and Gian Paolo was able to set his Mac notebook up to use it in 2
minutes flat, with me just feeding him the numbers.

In any case, it works, and I still have the option of putting Linux in the
box.

> > wife's monitor isn't compatible.
>
> Sure it is. Get the right adapter, and make sure your framebuffer
> settings are within range. I assume it's a relatively recent monitor,
> not some CGA thing from 1989.

1024x768. I'm now told I can coerce the Sun into doing that. I have the
adaptors.

> >  She'll end up remote-controlling it from her
> > PC using a Windows app, fer crissakes.
>
> And that's bad because...?

Well, the irony aside, isn't it wasteful to have two computers running when
you only need one? I mean, why drive your car? Why not buy a tow truck to
haul
it around, right? Save on gasoline, wear and tear on the car.

If she's going to run on a PC, why not just turn off the Sun and use the PC?


---
80666 -- microprocessor of the Beast.