[takeda]

I've seen a picture posted on Slashdot how they server rack looks like. There are many very old machines, I am sure that at least one reason is fear that they break during transportation.

Found it: http://www.openbsd.org/images/rack2009.jpg

[sliverstorm]

Why not move the machines, and if the Amiga breaks down and they can't find a replacement, end Amiga support? I mean, that's not a wonderful outcome, but what would you prefer to see given the following options?

a) Shut down OpenBSD

b) Shut down Amiga support in OpenBSD

I mean, is it even a hard choice?

Besides, if there are many developers who like developing for Amiga, surely they would be able to find a replacement?

[weland]

The Amiga port isn't live. It hasn't been maintained for a while IIRC.

There are two important points that shouldn't be forgotten about aggressively pushing cross-platform: it retains developers and exposes bugs. There's a great deal of usefulness behind it, beyond simply making it obvious that the workstations we get today are shit.

[sliverstorm]

Ok, Amiga was just an example I pulled off the top of my head.

I am not suggesting all legacy platforms need to be cut. I'm suggesting that it's possibly an acceptable risk, and also if a replacement UltraSPARC simply cannot be sourced, there can't be that many developers working on UltraSPARC anyway. (Just as an example)

[d_theorist]

Or hidden option c): ask people to donate money.

[sliverstorm]

Well, yes, clearly. But it's been a month since the initial ask, and this sort of "threat":

the fact is right now, OpenBSD will shut down if we do not have the funding to keep the lights on.

suggests the necessary $20k (cash) has not been forthcoming.

P.S. I understand it's not a threat in the sense of ransom etc, but the most correct word is not coming to my mind.

[lobotryas]

I completely agree with your association. In my view OpenBSD is very plainly holding itself hostage for $20,000 cash and expecting everyone to accomodate them.

[aaronem]

Oh, right, I've seen this movie before. [1]

[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_JOGmXpe5I

[transitionality]

It's game theory.

All three options exist, but the maintainers pretending that option b doesn't exist at this point in time increases the probability that option c will succeed.

If the pretense doesn't work, be very much assured that they will go with option b.

[dmunoz]

That image has been present on the lower right corner of the openbsd homepage for a long time. Given the name of the image, I imagine it's been present since at least since 2009, but my (fuzzy) memory wants me to believe there has been an image of a rack there even before then.

[osxrand]

Am I the only one who want's to organize and clean up those racks? :)

[DanBC]

The collection of stuff in between the racks is making my neck itch.

[luckydude]

Huh, no Sun4/470? I wonder what happened to the one Theo got from me. Too slow I guess but it was a fun machine back in the day.

[crististm]

The AC instructions note made me smile.

It reminded me of a post-it I left in the company lab with a diagram for how to do proper gigabit cross-overs. I could still find it there five years later after they rearranged the lab several times.

[bashinator]

I thought most (if not all) gigabit Ethernet implementations auto-detect host-to-host connections and handle the crossover for you.

[reeses]

They all do now, but it's still an optional element of the standard.

[teddyh]

It was optional in 100Mbit. In gigabit, it is mandatory.

[reeses]

"Automatic MDI/MDI-X Configuration is intended to eliminate the need for crossover cables between simi-lar devices. Implementation of an automatic MDI/MDI-X configuration is optional for 1000BASE-T devices. The assignment of pin-outs for a 1000BASE-T crossover function cable is shown in Table 40-12 in 40.8."

Here's a link that does not require IEEEXplore access: http://www.scribd.com/doc/46141801/802-3ab-1999

[teddyh]

I say, I stand corrected. I was sure I read the opposite somewhere, but I would not dream of contesting your reference.

[teddyh]

They do. Maybe he meant 100BASE-T4.

[jsz0]

There must be more to it than that. Two racks aren't using $20k in electricity.