Pdaxrom Vs Oz Or Even Sharp As A Server?

[bluedevils]

What's your opinion or facts without turning this into a flame war?

Currently, I'm using rc12 as a ntpd, sshd and webserver to the internet and internal.  I have a procmail, fetchmail and mutt setup, but I want an SSL pop server so I can send and receive mail remotely with one of my other zaurii using the stock mail app.  I see OZ 3.5.4.1 is close to completion and I am re-evaluating which ROM to use.  I want to compile a pop server for which rom I choose.

The cons with pdaxrom so far are
- I have a cron to restart ntpd everyday because it dies every couple of days
- once a month or two the desktop is frozen and I restart it using an ssh session.
- about once every two months the Z hard locks and has to be rebooted.


I am also in negotiations with my CFO (wife) for a mac mini which takes up much more power than a Z, but less than a light bulb.  It also has much more software options and might be more stable as a 24/7 server.

[Meanie]

What's your opinion or facts without turning this into a flame war?

Currently, I'm using rc12 as a ntpd, sshd and webserver to the internet and internal.  I have a procmail, fetchmail and mutt setup, but I want an SSL pop server so I can send and receive mail remotely with one of my other zaurii using the stock mail app.  I see OZ 3.5.4.1 is close to completion and I am re-evaluating which ROM to use.  I want to compile a pop server for which rom I choose.

The cons with pdaxrom so far are
- I have a cron to restart ntpd everyday because it dies every couple of days
- once a month or two the desktop is frozen and I restart it using an ssh session.
- about once every two months the Z hard locks and has to be rebooted.


I am also in negotiations with my CFO (wife) for a mac mini which takes up much more power than a Z, but less than a light bulb.  It also has much more software options and might be more stable as a 24/7 server.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132574\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

if you just want a server, ie no GUI, then OZ/bootstrap would be a good fit.

[jfv]

Your oblique reference to a light bulb makes me think you are worried power consumption. Maybe you are also worried about noise or space. But barring those worries, your best bet is an old computer running linux or some BSD.

Felipe

[koen]

OZ (buggy, unstable)[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132577\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

please report all bugs and instability to the respective bugtrackers

[iamasmith]

...your best bet is an old computer running linux or some BSD.

Felipe
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132579\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

or a Zaurus running BSD

[BarryW]

What's your opinion or facts without turning this into a flame war?

Currently, I'm using rc12 as a ntpd, sshd and webserver to the internet and internal.  I have a procmail, fetchmail and mutt setup, but I want an SSL pop server so I can send and receive mail remotely with one of my other zaurii using the stock mail app.  I see OZ 3.5.4.1 is close to completion and I am re-evaluating which ROM to use.  I want to compile a pop server for which rom I choose.

The cons with pdaxrom so far are
- I have a cron to restart ntpd everyday because it dies every couple of days
- once a month or two the desktop is frozen and I restart it using an ssh session.
- about once every two months the Z hard locks and has to be rebooted.


I am also in negotiations with my CFO (wife) for a mac mini which takes up much more power than a Z, but less than a light bulb.  It also has much more software options and might be more stable as a 24/7 server.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132574\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I run a dual G4 tower as a server in my garage.  The only time it has to reboot is for the occasional update that requires it.  It's running 10.3 server.  My firewall is an IBM eSeries server running smoothwall.  I've only had to reboot it once in two years because of a goof on my part.  Usually they just sit humming in the garage, adding a little ambient heat to the place, where I live, that's not a bad thing.  I've never actually done the math, but I'm pretty sure they only add 20-30 extra dollars a year to my electric bill.  Now the other six running computers....  

[bluedevils]

the wife asked if the thing was for my betterment as a unix admin or just a toy, and then she approved.  She's not into sweets or jewellery, though she made an exception last birthday....  Any wife that allows the purchase of 3 Zaurii and a mac mini, yet still saves deserves anything she wants.

Generally I would still love the Z to be the 24/7 server because power consumption, size and noise cannot be beat, but I think I will save alot of time and effort setting up the mac.

The openbsd is an interesting option too.  How stable is it?  Are there alot software ported to it, or is it really easy to compile for it?

I will still use the Z as a server so I still need opinions and facts.

[ian.finder]

Well, if you're just using the Z for server-style stuff, how about the OZ bootstrap rom-- CLI only by default, no extra bloat. Low in fat, zero calories, still crunchy and delicious with lots of packages! Only problem is the main OZ mirror has been down all week  

I personally use a Mac Mini as my main home desktop, and as an environmentalist, I like to keep the power requirements of my network rack down (Didn't say anything about the 16cpu 220v 700-pound SGI ONYX rack in the garage!  ), so... 2 hacked WRT54Gs for the firewall, router, an old 50mhz sparc for SSH, and a hacked linksys NSLU2 for other network services.

Personally, if I were you, I'd get one of them (The NSLU2, not the ONYX   )-- seems to fit your needs well.

$60 from ebay, add a USB hard drive, cut a trace on the mainboard (to de-underclock it, not overclock), add UNSLUNG, and you have a 266mhz ARM based Linux box (behaves a lot like OZ-- debian based, uses iPkg) with 32mb ram, 2 USB ports, and 10/100 ethernet. Lots of premade packages, and it's a good build platform for the Z.
Have a look ==> Linux NSLU2 Web Site
Fanless, ~5watts if my memory serves, and you can get them for peanuts just about everywhere.

Peace out.

What's your opinion or facts without turning this into a flame war?

Currently, I'm using rc12 as a ntpd, sshd and webserver to the internet and internal.  I have a procmail, fetchmail and mutt setup, but I want an SSL pop server so I can send and receive mail remotely with one of my other zaurii using the stock mail app.  I see OZ 3.5.4.1 is close to completion and I am re-evaluating which ROM to use.  I want to compile a pop server for which rom I choose.

The cons with pdaxrom so far are
- I have a cron to restart ntpd everyday because it dies every couple of days
- once a month or two the desktop is frozen and I restart it using an ssh session.
- about once every two months the Z hard locks and has to be rebooted.


I am also in negotiations with my CFO (wife) for a mac mini which takes up much more power than a Z, but less than a light bulb.  It also has much more software options and might be more stable as a 24/7 server.
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132574\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I run a dual G4 tower as a server in my garage.  The only time it has to reboot is for the occasional update that requires it.  It's running 10.3 server.  My firewall is an IBM eSeries server running smoothwall.  I've only had to reboot it once in two years because of a goof on my part.  Usually they just sit humming in the garage, adding a little ambient heat to the place, where I live, that's not a bad thing.  I've never actually done the math, but I'm pretty sure they only add 20-30 extra dollars a year to my electric bill.  Now the other six running computers....  
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132583\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

[iamasmith]

...
The openbsd is an interesting option too.  How stable is it?  Are there alot software ported to it, or is it really easy to compile for it?

I will still use the Z as a server so I still need opinions and facts.

Most things in the ports collection of OpenBSD will compile for the Zaurus unless there is some particular architectural quirk that hasn't been ironed out... same quirks effect other architectures too of course.

For your requirements as a server you may find that OpenBSD does everything you need straight out of the box since it has sendmail, popa3d, apache and OpenSSH installed, securely configured and ready to go in the base install. (Apache is set up in a chroot jail and just needs enabling ).

One nice thing about OpenBSD on the Zaurus is that the install is exactly what you get on the other architectures.. man pages and all , therefore, you can consult any OpenBSD specific reference for help without regard that it is running on a handheld device.

I must admit that I haven't tried setting up popa3d with an SSL connection but I'm sure its possible even if it means port forwarding etc.

-Andy

[bluedevils]

Thanks ian.finder,

Though the NSLU2 looks like a cool project, but I already have a zaurus that fits the hardware bill.  Nice suggestion, though.

pdaxrom can be run without a gui too but, I would still like an X server.  From the research that I have done, I don't see any real difference in compiling non-gui apps for pdaxrom or OZ.


iansmith,

I assume the openbsd uses ports?  Doesn't it take a long time to compile something?  I dabbled a little with freebsd on one of my older machines and gentoo (portage) is on my main desktop and one of my laptops.

[bluedevils]

doh! I'm so slow to respond...I just noticed on the openbsd page that it only supports the cxx00.  Is it working for a 760/860?

[raduga]

OZ (buggy, unstable)[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132577\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

please report all bugs and instability to the respective bugtrackers
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132581\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I try to report every condition of bug or unstability, or usability I find, to the bugtrackers.

I only made that remark, as I have seen irritating failures with every open (oe/pdaXrom) version that I've yet come into contact with.

They are both (in my view) good development projects, which have produced good development code, and continue to do so, but in the course of developing better code, continue to be plagued with the misfeatures common to *all* development.

bluedevils: sorry. you did ask us not to flame, right?

[iamasmith]

doh! I'm so slow to respond...I just noticed on the openbsd page that it only supports the cxx00.  Is it working for a 760/860?
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132612\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

bah, sorry, misunderstood.. I thought you wanted it for the 3100. No it doesn't support the 760/860.

[Da_Blitz]

i currently am running OZ in bootstrap and find it quite good once i had zsh on it, it would be great as a server (DNS, NTp and others) but i wouldnt trust it to do anything more than that

currently i have 2 NSLU's (opeNSLUg'ed with internal bluetooth, soon to be rackmounted) 1 linksys WRT54GS w/32MB of RAM (i was lucky) running openWRT and a netgear WGT634U (one of the few openWRT compatible devices with USB that you can get in AUS offf the shelf)

i think that thats more than enogh for low power devices

*** mental note must put the NSLU's up fore public arm compililng.

[koen]

i currently am running OZ in bootstrap and find it quite good once i had zsh on it, it would be great as a server (DNS, NTp and others) but i wouldnt trust it to do anything more than that

[..]

currently i have 2 NSLU's
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=132739\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

You do know that both OZ and *slug* are being built from openembedded, right? So anything you run on your slugs runs equally well on OZ. And you can use OE to build stuff for your wrt as well