Re: Being your own ISP was [Re: [mv] HTML editors]

[Ramsey French <rammjet@mac.com>]

******    message to minivend-users from Ramsey French <rammjet@mac.com>     ******

> ******    message to minivend-users from Birgitt Funk
> <birgitt@booktraders.com>     ******
> 
> 
>> ******    message to minivend-users from Ramsey French <rammjet@mac.com>
>> 
> [del]
> 
>> And Racke stated that we all tend to become Linux conversant as part of
>> our MV learning process.  I don't necessarily agree.  I have taken one
>> course in Unix as part of my day job and used that with trial and error
>> to set up MV on a server one time.  After than, I have not needed to
>> mess with Linux very much (occasional telnet sessions).  The process
>> described above is not Linux dependant (edit, FTP, run browser, repeat).
>> And now, I have moved to a host that manages MV for me (thanks Jason!),
>> so I have next to no exposure to Linux.
> 
> It seems to me that it depends much upon how many people try to run their
> own server 24h/7d server and attempt to be their own micro-ISP. Anyone
> doing that will most probably very soon become Linux conversant.
> 
> I wonder what the inhibiting factor for a Mac/Windows-based web designer
> is NOT to run his own ISP service on a Linux box ? Just the fact that
> bandwidth doesn't come inexpensive enough to your households and offices ?
> 
> What if you had the bandwidth ? Wouldn't you want to have full control over
> how you use your soft-and hardware ?  How much time consuming difficulties
> do you have, just because you need to switch platforms and need to
> cooperate with ISPs who run mass market  services and can't provide the
> technical support for a complex package like MiniVend ?
> 
> I put my personal reasoning in a P.S. to make it easier to read, but
> the question I have is, why not being your own ISP ?

Not sure where in this to insert my comments, so I'll do it here.

1) I would love to be running my own show.  I implied that with the
"control-freak" comment in the message from which you snipped my comment
above.

2) MV and internet development is not my primary vocation.  I want it to be,
but it is not currently.  I just want to get one good shop running
somewhere, then expand it to another and another and maybe develop,
and...and...

3) In light of item 2) and in light of the fact I have only (1) phone line
which serves as both my voice and data line, setting up as an ISP on it is
highly impractical at this time.

4) The point being, there are different levels of participation in this new
e-commerce world.  A one-shop entity may not be able to dedicate the
resources you specify.  A development shop or multi-shop business may find
it advantageous to set up their own serving.  On the otherhand, people adept
at software are not always adept at hardware, and vice versa.  So, as in
anything, you hire for what you need.  Based on a cost model that makes
sense for you.  Some people repair their own cars.  Some people pay a garage
to service their cars.  I suppose you advocate performing your own brain
surgery too...?  ;-)  Or would you say that learning MV is akin to that?
;-)


> Birgitt
> 
> P.S.
> I assume, you think I am nuts, but I hope sincerely that every household
> uses his own 24h/7d server to serve his own MV web catalog and takes full
> responsability for his own system admin tasks and web hosting projects.
> Uuuuh, I hear you crying: "No way, that would take our customers away",
> but I don't believe that at all.
> 
> I assume that MiniVend can serve as a base for very large, complex
> e-commerce solutions for enterprises of any size. It has the scalability
> and flexibility built in.
> 
> On the other hand it can do also the opposite, be a micro-e-commerce system
> for the individual household. And the way things are going, I think that
> needs to be done on an open source code system with open source code
> application software exclusively.
> 
> Any individual has to have the right and option to look under the hood and
> learn to control his server with regard to what is coming in, where it's
> coming from, what is going out, where its going to and what content
> belongs to whom. MiniVend as a publishing and e-commerce platform handles
> a lot of aspects of the above.
> 
> To say it simply, the web technology has enroached and influenced almost
> every aspect of our social and business life, you shouldn't put the
> control of it outside your own hands. As far as I can see any proprietary
> closed system can't guarantee you that control and access. It is as basis
> a need as open science is. You wouldn't want our genetic code belong to
> any one entitiy and leave the power to manipulate it to them, right ?
> 
> Digital code is not that much different (don't you all wait for "some big
> man" to announce that the next generation of web platforms and
> applications are capable of "digital pollination"? 8-))
> 
> OK, I am getting way off topic here, but you get the picture. I just hope
> you developers are not afraid to leave the code open, just because it
> makes your expertise and skills accessible for anyone. Doesn't mean
> that your open code has no "monetary value", does it ?
> 
> Code on the web is just too dangerous a thing to be controllable just by a
> few. Or am I missing the point ?
> 
> Just my two cents of Sunday morning mumbling.
> 
> 
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