[jedberg]

Have you guys thought about becoming a reseller as another line of business? In the post it says you need about 1200 drives a month (if read that right) so you could buy 10,000 from the manufacturer, and then sell the extra as Backblaze Approved(tm) or some such. I'd much rather buy a drive I know you guys have put through its paces, especially if I knew that purchase would help fund more data and research, by supporting your business.

[brianwski]

I have suggested it. :-) There is no transparency when purchasing drives, in that we don't know what percentage of the price of the drive goes to the reseller (like CDW) and what percentage goes to the manufacturer (like Seagate). I proposed becoming a reseller just to cut CDW out and pocket the profit margin that CDW lives on.

DISCLAIMER: I have not run my brilliant idea past any lawyers, so it may not be legal. We have not done this (yet).

[Terr_]

"Consider: Morningstar rates funds. Imagine: Backblaze rates drives." :P

[wyldfire]

> buy a drive I know you guys have put through its paces

Are you talking about some kind of burn-in at Backblaze for units sold to get past the infantile failure region? Or just Backblaze-as-drive-retailer but they specifically endorse this model because they have good experience with it?