Choosing the hosting site

[DGDanforth]

If they are ready to support us with hosting, to maintain in ETH our forum, wiki, bugtracker, GIT repository mirror, ... that will be good. But I think that we will not have such server administration freedom there.

I've asked Felix (felix.friedrich@inf.ethz.ch) for his feed back with regard to your comments.

[cfbsoftware]

We don't need to 'put all our eggs in one basket' or 'reinvent the wheel'. If less 'freedom' means significantly less effort then I am all for it.

I recommend using ETHZ's existing forum and wiki capabilities (and to have the latest stable release available as a download).

I also recommend following Gardens Point Component Pascal's example and use CodePlex for maintaining the source code of the Windows version of BlackBox:

http://gpcp.codeplex.com/

I have zero interest whatsoever in a Linux version of BlackBox so others can recommend how that is hosted or maintained. What I would not like is for the Windows version to be polluted with anything Linux-related issues. The Delphi / Kylix experiment is a good example of how not to go about it.

[ReneK]

Any non-Windows-version is, IMHO, a second or rather third step, after producing a version with all known bug fixes and internationalisation at least.

And for all future developments, I think it is important to take extra care not to worsen what we have now.

I think ETH would be nice, as long as the technical solution possible there fits our needs.

[Josef Templ]

I would not bother ETHZ with hosting.
Here is what I would do and this is a proposal for a vote:

Sign up with EDIS with server location in Switzerland
and start with a 256 MB vServer, i.e. 2.99 Euro per month.
If it does not work out, we loose a couple of Euros, so what.
You may have problems with any hosting company be it technical
or customer service related. Without a test we'll never know.
EDIS offers a 4 hour evaluation period within which you can
cancel the contract without any reasons.
If this sounds reasonable to any other center member, please
let us know so we can start a vote on that.

- Josef

[ReneK]

Josef,

what are your reasons for not wanting to bother ETH?

Rene

[Ivan Denisov]

If this sounds reasonable to any other center member, please
let us know so we can start a vote on that.

It sounds reasonable. I can try but after few weeks. The vote will take a week or two

However, before I suggest to choose the chairman for initiation of votes and mailing to people for them to vote!

[cfbsoftware]

EDIS offers a 4 hour evaluation period within which you can
cancel the contract without any reasons.

A 4 hour evaluation period to checkout hosting suitability??? Are they serious? I don't believe a deal like that would be legal here in Australia. I would expect an evaluation period equal to at least the payment frequency (i.e. one month).

What are the terms of the contract? How long do you have to sign up for?

EDIS is an Austrian company - what does it actually mean when they say the site is hosted in Switzerland? Are they just reselling some other company's server time?

[DGDanforth]

I would not bother ETHZ with hosting.
- Josef

Why do you say that?

[Ivan Denisov]

EDIS is an Austrian company - what does it actually mean when they say the site is hosted in Switzerland? Are they just reselling some other company's server time?

EDIS is offering local presence hosting services based on its own, global infrastructure, which has been strategically positioned to access some of the fastest internet exchanges for best hosting-performance.

http://www.edis.at/en/hosting/local-presence/

[DGDanforth]

To move things along I am willing to give up the idea of having ETH be the hosting site
and would vote for using EDIS.