• Upgrade.

    From Mark Hofmann@1:261/1304 to All on Monday, October 06, 2025 08:03:06

    I finally got around to upgrading one of my Supermicro servers that runs my virtual environment. So in a round about way, D'Bridge is now running on a dual Xeon Gold 6230 2.1Ghz (20-core each) with 1TB of RAM.

    I also upgraded the RAID controller to a 9361-8i. To keep these CPUs cool and the server from being too loud, I tie-wrapped a Nashua 60mm fan to each of the passive coolers. It worked like a charm.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.52
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (1:261/1304.0)
  • From Nick Andre@1:229/426 to Mark Hofmann on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 15:14:27
    On 06 Oct 25 08:03:06, Mark Hofmann said the following to All:

    I finally got around to upgrading one of my Supermicro servers that runs my virtual environment. So in a round about way, D'Bridge is now running on a dual Xeon Gold 6230 2.1Ghz (20-core each) with 1TB of RAM.

    How goes things lately, stranger?

    Nick

    --- Renegade vY2Ka2
    * Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)
  • From Mark Hofmann@1:261/1304 to Nick Andre on Saturday, October 25, 2025 18:59:59

    How goes things lately, stranger?


    All good over here, how about you? Anything new in your world up north?

    At the moment, I'm taking a break from paying bills, drinking a Budweiser, and listening to some music. You can't pay bills without drinking beer. It just makes it easier. :)

    I had to get a new (used) truck a few months ago after the old 2001 Durango had a lifter fail in one of the cylinders, which then screwed up the timing chain. It was undriveable and sadly was the end of the road for it.

    But, I did find a good deal on a 2022 Ram 1500 Laramie from a dealership that was selling it way under bluebook due to a dent in the bumper, and damage to one of it's mirrors.

    I bought it, replaced the mirror and bumper myself for under $400. The $6k under blue book for $400 parts was a great deal. So I still have a fleet of vehicles and my two Harleys.

    We also went through the pool project from hell, but it is all good in the end. It is getting closed next week since it is getting cold here now. Last night went in the upper 30s and the pool is still open. :) A bit chilly for a dip to say the least at this point even with a solar cover.

    On the tech side of things, I upgraded my Supermicro servers finally. I still have one to complete the build, but I bought new motherboards, memory, controllers, and even used some tie wraps to tie quiet fans to the passive CPU coolers to keep the noise down but keep them cool.

    I ended up getting Xeon Gold 6230 2.1Ghz CPUs (dual in each), which are 20-core processors. I also picked up 1TB of DDR4 ram - splitting 512GB in each. Newer LSI 9361-8i controllers with battery backup. They do RAID rebuilds much faster and I/O has improved. I also added 10TB of SSD in the server.

    I'm still doing lots of smarthoem stuff with Home Assistant, and switched all our media centers using Nvidia shields over to Jellyfin. That is a really awesome media center that also supports streaming to any device. Very cool.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.52
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (1:261/1304.0)
  • From Nick Andre@1:229/426 to Mark Hofmann on Sunday, October 26, 2025 01:31:46
    On 25 Oct 25 18:59:59, Mark Hofmann said the following to Nick Andre:

    All good over here, how about you? Anything new in your world up north?

    At the moment, I'm taking a break from paying bills, drinking a Budweiser, listening to some music. You can't pay bills without drinking beer. It ju makes it easier. :)

    Life is good up here for the moment. I moved out of Toronto in January to the suburbs. Enjoying a house and been busy with work. Kiddo is in university.

    I'm still doing lots of smarthoem stuff with Home Assistant, and switched our media centers using Nvidia shields over to Jellyfin. That is a really awesome media center that also supports streaming to any device. Very cool

    I've been an Emby fan for quite some time now...

    Nick

    --- Renegade vY2Ka2
    * Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Mark Hofmann on Sunday, October 26, 2025 10:14:04
    At the moment, I'm taking a break from paying bills, drinking a
    Budweiser, and listening to some music.

    How does one take a break from drinking Budweiser?

    You need to start drinking it first. Does anyone with half a brain (and a mild taste for beer) actually do?

    \%/@rd

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)
  • From Mark Hofmann@1:261/1304 to Nick Andre on Sunday, October 26, 2025 09:49:34

    Life is good up here for the moment. I moved out of Toronto in January to the
    suburbs. Enjoying a house and been busy with work. Kiddo is in
    university.

    Nice, congrats! Do you have any home project plans in the works or not enough time with work?

    Man, time flies! University?
    I've been an Emby fan for quite some time now...

    I like the fact that I can stream music from my home server to the Jellyfin app on my phone, then bluetooth to my car/truck. That wasn't possible with Kodi.

    We also got an English Cream Golden Retriever puppy back in March since we finally have a fenced yard. I always wanted a polar bear looking dog to sit by the pool with and drink a beer after work. :)


    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.52
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (1:261/1304.0)
  • From Mark Hofmann@1:261/1304 to Ward Dossche on Sunday, October 26, 2025 09:51:22

    How does one take a break from drinking Budweiser?

    When one is empty, you have to walk to the fridge to get another.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.52
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (1:261/1304.0)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Mark Hofmann on Monday, October 27, 2025 11:12:22
    How does one take a break from drinking Budweiser?

    When one is empty, you have to walk to the fridge to get another.

    It makes you pee so much ...

    \%/@rd

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)
  • From Nick Andre@1:229/426 to Mark Hofmann on Monday, October 27, 2025 08:22:01
    On 26 Oct 25 09:49:34, Mark Hofmann said the following to Nick Andre:

    Nice, congrats! Do you have any home project plans in the works or not eno time with work?

    I built a home gym, set up my music collection... a pool table... going to start purging many boxes of useless tech crap that can "go".

    We also got an English Cream Golden Retriever puppy back in March since we finally have a fenced yard. I always wanted a polar bear looking dog to si by the pool with and drink a beer after work. :)

    Hhahaha nice!

    Nick

    --- Renegade vY2Ka2
    * Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Nick Andre on Monday, October 27, 2025 14:30:16
    I built a home gym, set up my music collection... a pool table... going
    to start purging many boxes of useless tech crap that can "go".

    Sounds like my garage when I started cleaning it. You want some of my stuff? I guarantee it's useless, but you can have it.

    If you come across a vintage Tandy-200 laptop, I'll have it.

    \%/@rd

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)
  • From Nick Andre@1:229/426 to Ward Dossche on Monday, October 27, 2025 08:35:02
    On 27 Oct 25 14:30:16, Ward Dossche said the following to Nick Andre:

    Sounds like my garage when I started cleaning it. You want some of my stuff guarantee it's useless, but you can have it.

    Its all gotta go here, theres crap here been lugged around since early 2000's.

    One parent who came to visit was impressed with the "storage space", until I explained that its not for that parent's hoarded collection of crap for me to store after the grand-departure.

    If you come across a vintage Tandy-200 laptop, I'll have it.

    I already have a Tandy 1000 and a 2500... both in great shape,

    Nick

    --- Renegade vY2Ka2
    * Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Nick Andre on Monday, October 27, 2025 14:56:27
    If you come across a vintage Tandy-200 laptop, I'll have it.

    I already have a Tandy 1000 and a 2500... both in great shape,

    I'm especially interested in a Tandy-200 laptop.

    I got mine around 1990 I think. It has a serial modem connector, basic communication tools which in that era were "Wow", a text-processor with a maximum file-space of 64KB. Also a spreadsheet. I used it on business and colleagues were also like "Wow". On planes returning from meetings typing-out my reports and sending them via a payphone in an airport...

    Then I loaned it to some female friend of mine for some university work and that was the last I saw of it. Small. Lightweight. Worked on an adaptor or 4 AA-batteries.

    I'm aware about your Tandy-1000, which I considered a great machine (provided it had a hard-card), but I fear the power-supply would blow here with the 220V (actually 227V) and 50Hz.

    \%/@rd

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)
  • From Nick Andre@1:229/426 to Ward Dossche on Monday, October 27, 2025 09:12:51
    On 27 Oct 25 14:56:27, Ward Dossche said the following to Nick Andre:

    I already have a Tandy 1000 and a 2500... both in great shape,

    I'm especially interested in a Tandy-200 laptop.

    Any luck on Ebay?

    I'm aware about your Tandy-1000, which I considered a great machine (provid it had a hard-card), but I fear the power-supply would blow here with the 2 (actually 227V) and 50Hz.

    Its a slimmer model Tandy with VGA graphics and a 40 megabyte hard drive... and slimer power supply. I think theres a volt switch or some way to make it work on Euro power

    Nick

    --- Renegade vY2Ka2
    * Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Nick Andre on Monday, October 27, 2025 18:49:40
    I'm especially interested in a Tandy-200 laptop.

    Any luck on Ebay?

    There are some still around but I don't intend to prostitute myself to make enough money to pay for it.

    Just to say ... there are limits, plus I've had some negative eBay-experiences...

    Its a slimmer model Tandy with VGA graphics and a 40 megabyte hard
    drive...
    and slimer power supply. I think theres a volt switch or some way to make it work on Euro power

    Eventually I was planning to come and have look at it but Icelandic Play Airlines into Hamilton Airport from Reykjavic closed shop some weeks ago killing a few good ideas which I had.

    \%/@rd

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)
  • From Nick Andre@1:229/426 to Ward Dossche on Monday, October 27, 2025 14:34:48
    On 27 Oct 25 18:49:40, Ward Dossche said the following to Nick Andre:

    Eventually I was planning to come and have look at it but Icelandic Play Airlines into Hamilton Airport from Reykjavic closed shop some weeks ago killing a few good ideas which I had.

    Theres always YYZ and I could make the trip there.

    Nick

    --- Renegade vY2Ka2
    * Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Nick Andre on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 00:16:17
    Theres always YYZ and I could make the trip there.

    I know, but Icelandic Play was flying at 50% of what YYZ costs ...

    \%/@rd

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)
  • From Nick Andre@1:229/426 to Ward Dossche on Monday, October 27, 2025 18:24:15
    On 28 Oct 25 00:16:17, Ward Dossche said the following to Nick Andre:

    I know, but Icelandic Play was flying at 50% of what YYZ costs ...

    What about YTZ?

    Nick

    --- Renegade vY2Ka2
    * Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Nick Andre on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 01:20:49
    I know, but Icelandic Play was flying at 50% of what YYZ costs ...

    What about YTZ?

    Just checked ... depends ... it's always a connection in the east like Boston, DC, Montreal ...

    AC gets me to Billy Biship. I just made a few fake bookings to see what it was going to cost me. So I don't know if I like you 'that' much to pay "that" amount ... Maybe if I become smashed I will start to care less ...

    All the others get me to YYZ. Don't know about Porter airlines ...

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)
  • From Nick Andre@1:229/426 to Ward Dossche on Monday, October 27, 2025 20:28:13
    On 28 Oct 25 01:20:49, Ward Dossche said the following to Nick Andre:

    AC gets me to Billy Biship. I just made a few fake bookings to see what it going to cost me. So I don't know if I like you 'that' much to pay "that" amount ... Maybe if I become smashed I will start to care less ...

    I'm not that sexually-frustrated....

    All the others get me to YYZ. Don't know about Porter airlines ...

    Porter I think is a Canuck-only airline.

    Nick

    --- Renegade vY2Ka2
    * Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Nick Andre on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 17:37:33
    All the others get me to YYZ. Don't know about Porter airlines ...

    Porter I think is a Canuck-only airline.

    They are indeed and offering an interesting deal via YYC ... but they seem to be worse than Ryanair for charging extras...

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)
  • From Mark Hofmann@1:261/1304 to Ward Dossche on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 18:15:14

    It makes you pee so much ...


    Exactly, which is another bonus. Keeps me from getting kidney stones.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.52
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (1:261/1304.0)
  • From Mark Hofmann@1:261/1304 to Nick Andre on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 18:21:38

    I built a home gym, set up my music collection... a pool table... going
    to start purging many boxes of useless tech crap that can "go".

    We added a pool table here last fall as well! We turned the basement into a fun space with wall mounted TV, fish tank, fake fireplace, pool table, and several full sized retro arcade games - one being virtual pinball.

    I try to do regular old tech purges now and then, too. I can't believe how expensive the old tech stuff has gotten this year. The 1TB of DDR4 ECC memory I bought back in February for $645 now goes for well over $2k. Not the normal price action you see on old gear. It normally gets cheaper. Even my 14TB drives I bought 5 years ago for $110 each are $199 now.

    We also got an English Cream Golden Retriever puppy back in March
    since we MH> finally have a fenced yard. I always wanted a polar bear looking dog to si MH> by the pool with and drink a beer after work. :)

    Hhahaha nice!

    I really like all the seasons here, but really looking forward to spring/summer again now that we have the pool. Floating around with a beer while the dog chills in the yard is the exact picture I have in my mind when I eventually retire.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.52
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (1:261/1304.0)
  • From Mark Hofmann@1:261/1304 to Ward Dossche on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 18:24:10

    Sounds like my garage when I started cleaning it. You want some of my stuff? I guarantee it's useless, but you can have it.

    If you come across a vintage Tandy-200 laptop, I'll have it.

    If it wasn't for the shipping, I have at least 20-30 2TB enterprise drives that could go to a good home. They are just taking up space and I'll never use them, but have yet to toss them.

    I had pulled them many years ago from my Supermicro servers. They came with those drives and I replaced them with 8TB drives at the time, and now 14TB drives and some SSDs.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.52
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (1:261/1304.0)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Mark Hofmann on Monday, November 03, 2025 20:13:02
    Mark,

    If it wasn't for the shipping, I have at least 20-30 2TB enterprise
    drives that could go to a good home. They are just taking up space and I'll never use them, but have yet to toss them.

    I'm going full-SSD here ... but ship'm to Nick ... he loves that and soon he'll have more space...

    \%/@rd

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)