Hosting Reprise

After more thought and several exchanges with support, I have come to the following conclusion:

1. I don't have the money to take on two hosts.
2. I want this to work.

Lostinspace hosting provides a bigger bandwidth pipe than Surpass hosting, but is also a bit pricier. The lowest reseller plan I saw was at $12.50/mo for 5 gigs of space, plus 150 gigs of bandwidth for LIH, as opposed to 10 for 3 gig space and 30 gigs bandwidth for surpass at $10/mo.

The big thing for Surpass, though, is that they will provide you with a separate hosting plan for free that is equivalent to your reseller account. So, if I get the basic 3/30 plan, I have 3/30 to sell, and 3/30 for myself.

Decisions... hmmph... which one?

Okay... I've finally chosen...

Where to host. I just cant beat the price given by surpasshosting. $10 a month for . . . well, check their site. I just love the features. And then, for the domain, i go to godaddy! $13.something-or-other for a year, and it's private registration to boot.

Now, to finally figure out... what in the nine hells am I going to put up? I was thinking of putting this blog there... and then, I also want to mirror some open source apps that I do like. Then, on a subdomain, probably sponsor a few up-and-coming starving (yeah right) web designers that I know. They're good. They just haven't been given a real opportunity yet. If I remember right, their site is at somnotikroom.tk. Just check it out.

Now, as to what projects to mirror... well I can't do any of the distro's (although I'd really love to mirror slackware!) The downloads alone will kill my bandwidth... I could do the kernel.... but again, same problem. Hmmm... I wonder if Fluxbox needs a mirror? I really like that! Hmm... think... think... who do you think needs mirrors...

I'm Sick!

and Tired of work!

hehehe... just kidding. I actually like my job, despite all appearances and claims to the contrary. But I really am sick right now. I must've caught my sons' flu. Feels like my head is stuffed with wool, and I can barely understand my customers emails (now, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing).

Good news though, Software Freedom Day is coming up. I'm both nervous and excited at the same time, being part of the Demo Booth team. I've been using linux for long enough, but I did have a rather longish hiatus without a home pc and all for a while. Oh well, good thing all I'm demoing are web apps (like firefox, ftp paraphernalia, chat clients, etc. etc.) It's going to be on September 10, by the way. Just check out the wiki for other details. It's updated on a more or less regular basis.

*I wonder when the next IM meeting will be held.*

Now, I wonder if I can ask my dad to foot the bill for a home pc first, and get the laptop second? At least I'll be able to toss in some linux time, and start polishing up my (few) rusty linux skills.

Surpass Hosting

Now here's a sweet deal if I ever did see one. Only problem I have now is how to pay. Time to get that debit card with a mastercard logo (I am not using a live credit card online!)

Let me see.... $15 a year for the domain, $6 a month for the space (and look at that space and bandwidth!). Initial expense of roughly php1,000, and a monthly of php300... good. Very Good indeed.

I start getting that host next month.... host this there, and a few other projects as well. Probably make a mirror for something or another as well.

Oh... and the biggest plus is they're using linux hosts! WOOT!

Hosting

What host to use?

I have no idea. While I fully support Filipino companies wholeheartedly, it's kind of hard to pick one. Like, take www.dragweb.net for example. I like the pricing and the payment options. Unfortunately, it's been around since March of this year. Hard to trust an entity without a track record.

Then, theres www.techhive. com. Looks better, plus the site of a friend of mine is hosted there as well (www.halfproject.com). But the pricing is kind of steep for me, and they only have an annual payment scheme.

Of course, I can pick an international host. But credit cards aren't exactly the easiest things to apply for here. Been trying to get myself one since I don't know how long.

Now, you might ask, what would I host? Well, there's this blog for one. And then, I'd like to put up a small repository of linux (what else?) apps that I like and use regularly. And of course, there are some side projects I'd like to do, and having a host would definitely make it easier.

Now, how to choose? I could of course compare pricing, and features, etc. etc. etc. But I think I'll do it the scientific way.

Eeeny, Meenie, Minie, Moe....

The Calm Before the Storm II

Usually, I'm thinking deep, philosophical thoughts when I have nothing to do. Not so this time. Usually, I'm thinking about why things happen, what I could have done better, and what I should not have done. Not now.

Today is different. Today is unique. My mind is blank. I am totally devoid of interest with anything. Not Linux, not Living, not Money, not even the debate as to whether words actually sound as they spell... I am empty of all concern.

That's not good.

Why?

Maybe I just need a beer.

Maybe I need a life.

Scratch that. I do have one. It's complicated, always topsy turvy, and never follows a regular pattern on anything. But it's a life.

What more can I ask for?

(*well, a lot actually, but that was a rhetorical question.*)

The calm before the storm...

It's always like this before the holiday season comes in (better known as the "ber" season here in the Philippines). Theres practically no work to do (not that I'm complaining that much). And then, when the holiday shopping rush starts, thats when things go all haywire.

Can you imagine recieving over 100 emails an hour? And then, have practically 75% of those emails come from irate customers? It's not a picnic. And then, after about a month of about 1,000 emails a day, it starts piling up, and Up, and UP.

It feels godawful when you know you're working triple time to catch up with the workload, but the wokload seems to be going 10x as fast! Coming to work with 500 email's waiting, and then leaving with 1500 waiting. It's just not fair. Last time that happened to us, we finished them all off by, oh let's see... 3 months after the holidays? Bloody nightmare.

But it's payday today. And that alone make things feel better. Now let's see if we can save something up for the holidays, so that I can honestly say "Happy Holidays!"

'Nuther Boring Day at Work

Interestingly, when theres nothing to do here, I can find absolutely nothing to do or read on the net. And when we're swamped, that's wehen I remember to research this, read up on that, find out about something else.... *sigh*

Interestingly though, I found this...

Intel Corp.’s first dual-core chip was a hastily concocted design that was
rushed out the door in hopes of beating rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD)
to the punch, an Intel engineer told attendees at the Hot Chips conference
Tuesday.

Full story can be found here.

Just goes to show that sometimes, leading the pack for too long, the one in the rear will bite back eventually.

Good thing I was considering an AMD for my desktop. And even though its not going to be a dual core processor, at least its 64 bits. And I did a costing on it. A standard generic ATX case (found a nice one with 10, count 'em, 10 drive bays), video card (I'm not a gamer, so I'm happy enough with an FX5200), 80 GB Hard drive (I was thinking of springing for a 200), motherboard (Epox), processor (AMD Sempron 2500+ 64bit), 1 GB of DDR 400 (2X512), a Combo-drive (lite-on most likely, haven't made up my mind yet), a 15" LCD monitor and the minor peripherals will cost just a little shy under 35 grand (roughly $600)good enough for me. I don't need the speed bost of dual channel memory, and any of the rest that makes a really high end machine expensive. All I need is future proof.

So what do I do now? Get the Desktop first or get the Laptop first? I must ponder this, as these are Very Important Questions that require Much Deep Thinking.

It's Her Birthday!

Yeesh, how stupid can I get. I totally forgot that it was my wifes birthday today (yes, the same person stipulated in item one of my previous post).

And to think I actually greeted her last night, but forget on the day itself. Oh well. Anyway, heres a picture of her....

It's not the most flattering picture of her available, but the others shots are scattered in my about half-dozen email accounts, or other places that I no longer recall.

Obviously, the kid is my son, when he was about 7 months old.

Well, happy birthday to you!

Life Sucks seven ways from Sunday...

1. I'm on my own (me and the wifey don't live together no more).
2. I have absolutely nothing in my bank account!
3. I have debts all the way up to here!
4. After almost three years in the contact center industry, I'm still an agent!
5. My previous company owes me six months of Social Security remittances.
6. After earning triple the country average for almost 3 years, I still have the same clothes.
7. I have no life to speak of.

Well, for number one, I won't bother to expound. Just take it as it is. Although, at least, we're still on good terms.

With regard to savings, well, look to the bottom right, under the to-do list. That's a target. So, hopefully, I'll actually have something by years end. But then again, after paying for number 3 and buying the things I need, there probably won't be anything left.

I'm still a rank and file agent. Go figure. Well, sith happens... I just hope things change for the better this year.

As for social security, I kinda doubt that I'm ever going to see those six months of remittances. After all, that company filed for bankruptcy 2 years ago, and then, set up another company under a different name. Can you say Fly by night?

I'm not a fashionista myself, but I sure could use some new clothes (especially for work). My wardrobe consists of the clothes I used to wear while I was still very active in the musical underground.

As for no time, well, that's something I can do nothing about. Actually, I do have a life, after all, I am raising a toddler. But as for the thing called a social life, I have none. And nothing even close to resembling a night life. But it's okay, I don't care. I have my son, and that's what's important. Even better if me and the wife can get together again, though.

I Want, I Want, I Want...

a lot of things. Aside from the laptop and the desktop (as you can see on the sidebar), now I'm thinking of getting a host to serve up this blog (not that blogger.com doesn't do it well, it's just that I'm a do-it-yourselfer kind of guy).

powweb.com looks kinda okay. $7.something per month, for 5 gigs of space and 300 gigs of transfer (although it's kinda fishy). But if they've been around since '99, they must be doing something right. Time to ask some contacts.

Anyway, time to start saving up for my hardware... one desktop (AMD64!!!) and one laptop!

Now the costing for one desktop + one laptop = OUCH!

Oh well, one thing at a time. Which should I do first? Targeted budget for December of this year is about $1,000 (roughly PHP 50,000). That should do for one. But what about the other?

Tough decisions. Specially since these are probably the last toys I buy myself. After this, everything I earn gets put aside for my son (of course! Who else?)

Luckily though, the sempron 64 just got released, and its retailing for less than $100 a pop here. Looks like I can actually afford it, and an LCD monitor. =D Goody, goody.

Well, the hardware has to come first, then I'll need broadband (who doesn't really? Specially in this day and age). After that, I get some hosting, and finally start talking about what I'm constantly thinking about. No, it's not sex. It's linux (but the former isn't really ever far from my mind... *evil grin* (Hey, I'm a hot blooded male. I don't think there's anything wrong with my admission to a weakness for the fair sex...)

A Day in the Life of an E-Mail Rep

How many times have I had to tell a customer exactly what he/she needs by parroting what she's already read on our website?

Jeesh... sometimes I really wonder, how in the nine hells did the US become a superpower, what with the apparent disparity in IQ levels...

Not to disparage Americans though. They're some of my favorite people. Unfortunately, working in a support position, it seems that you'll find all the dull knives in the drawer (more as a rule than an exception). Of course, there are always some stellar geniuses writing in with more questions than I have answers or know or care to find out (who in the nine hells would be interested in the particle output of item X or the brightness in Candelas of product Y?)

Ughh.

Thats my day. Everyday. Non-stop emails from the brightest of the bright, and the dimmest of the dim.

On the bright side, at least this job does pay me almost triple the average (I believe that was on my last post), plus the incentives. And this job being what it is, I have a lot of research work to do, which means that the net is wide, wide open for me. =Þ

At least this day is about to end already.

And payday is at the end of the week. WOOHOO!

Time to start saving up for them PC's (one desktop, one laptop). Target is roughly $1000 by December.

Another Day, Another Dollar....

or lack of it anyway.... lemme see... average income here in the Philippines is roughly $150 a month, cost of living per day (per person) is about $2, and then there's rent. Oddly enough, for a half-decent apartment, it's anywhere from $75/month (I wouldn't guarantee your health in an apartment like this though, unless you find one out in the boonies like I used to), all the way up to $400+++ (but these ones are coool!). I can't afford this one though, considering that I'm earning roughly the same amount ($400). More hunting to do over the next few months.

Speaking of $$$ (or in my case, PHP, and no, its not the scripting language), I have to start saving up for that laptop (I'd like a Mac, but its too bloody expensive here). Maybe something in the $1,000 range would be nice. I found a few, but the money's not there yet. And to top it off, I need a Desktop as well (I can probably slap one together for $500 or less). Preferably a 64 Bit Athlon. But a high-end Pentium 4 will do (maybe 3.06 gig?) Of course the monitor has to be at least a 15" LCD (17-19" preferred).

OS to be installed? Slackware of course! Ain't nothing comin' between me and my slack!

Unfortunately, before everything else follows, the plan has to go around with more $$$. I need to save up about, lemme see... roughly PHP 75,000 - PHP 90,000 ($1500-$1700) to get everything in order. I guess its crackers for lunch for the next few months...



This is the laptop I'm considering:

Its a Compaq NX6120. Lots of bells and whistles for under $1,000.

But I'd really love to get this: Price? oh, just around $1500...

Guess the image I grabbed wasn't so good. It's an Acer Ferrari. Beautiful piece of work, and there's a new one that's made of carbon fiber!

Unfortunately, the damn thing has an ATI Mobility graphics chip onboard. ATI just ain't my thing. And ATI doesn't play well with linux either. Oh well.

I can still dream about it though. Maybe another time (or if Acer comes out with a unit using nVidia for graphics...)

Starvation city, here I go!

I cant believe this....

I never thought I'd be doing a blog before. Just goes to show how life is. But then, I never thought I'd get a mobile phone either.

Anyway, a journal here is just as good as a journal anywhere else (like the one I carry in my pocket everyday). Can't help it. I just have to write. And working with a PC the whole day, well, I guess it was just a matter of time.

Let's see, what am I doing now. Laptop to save up for, save up for my kids schooling, as well as a college fund (he's only a year and a half old right now). Then of course, a decent apartment, etc. etc. etc.

Things would be easier if my wife was around though.