Comments for AlexHopmann.com http://www.alexhopmann.com Modern Art makes me want to rock out Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:29:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.6 Comment on Microsoft Velocity and Memcache by Iqbal Khan http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/06/09/microsoft-velocity-and-memcache/#comment-26550 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:04:09 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/06/09/microsoft-velocity-and-memcache/#comment-26550 Hi Alex, NCache pricing is per CPU and it does not count any cores. So, a dual-core CPU is considered 1 CPU. NCache is the most featureful .NET distributed cache and offers a lot of very important features that Memcache does not provide. To start with, you get 100% uptime due to dynaimc clustering in NCache. Then, you have various caching topologies including Mirrored, Replicated, Partitioned, and Client Cache. So, you really need to see the cost to your business of downtime or inability to scale. NCache comes with full support as well (including 24x7 support option). Hi Alex,

NCache pricing is per CPU and it does not count any cores. So, a dual-core CPU is considered 1 CPU.

NCache is the most featureful .NET distributed cache and offers a lot of very important features that Memcache does not provide. To start with, you get 100% uptime due to dynaimc clustering in NCache. Then, you have various caching topologies including Mirrored, Replicated, Partitioned, and Client Cache.

So, you really need to see the cost to your business of downtime or inability to scale. NCache comes with full support as well (including 24×7 support option).

]]> Comment on Demo Version Problems by Alex http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/09/04/demo-version-problems/#comment-26295 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:34:30 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/09/04/demo-version-problems/#comment-26295 That would have worked in this situation too- I'd be happy to buy it if I was confident that there was an easy way to "return" it. Nordstrom has a top reputation that makes this work. To be honest, in the software industry we suck. There is no way I'm going to set myself up to wait on hold for 60min somewhere to go through a bunch of hassle for a refund if the software doesn't actually perform as advertised. But to use your Nordstrom example a bit more- its not like Nordstrom forces me to buy clothes without trying them on. So if you really want to smooth things over to sell your software you probably need both a clean trial mode as well as an great refund mechanism (that doesn't require a phone call). This is of course most complicated for software that is occasional use. If I'm buying something that I'm going to use all the time, its easy to come up with trial terms. But for something like disk repair, there is certainly the issue that people feel like they just need it once... That would have worked in this situation too- I’d be happy to buy it if I was confident that there was an easy way to “return” it. Nordstrom has a top reputation that makes this work. To be honest, in the software industry we suck. There is no way I’m going to set myself up to wait on hold for 60min somewhere to go through a bunch of hassle for a refund if the software doesn’t actually perform as advertised.

But to use your Nordstrom example a bit more- its not like Nordstrom forces me to buy clothes without trying them on. So if you really want to smooth things over to sell your software you probably need both a clean trial mode as well as an great refund mechanism (that doesn’t require a phone call).

This is of course most complicated for software that is occasional use. If I’m buying something that I’m going to use all the time, its easy to come up with trial terms. But for something like disk repair, there is certainly the issue that people feel like they just need it once…

]]> Comment on Demo Version Problems by brett http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/09/04/demo-version-problems/#comment-26036 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:26:10 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/09/04/demo-version-problems/#comment-26036 i offer a counter proposal. i think the software industry has spoiled users with freeware and trials. i can't go into nordstrom and as for a free 15-day trail of a nice new sweater. but i can buy it, bring it home, decide if it goes with my existing wardrobe and then return it for a refund in 14 days if it doesn't fit. software should be the same. the nero website should have enough product information to remove the ambiguity about what you will get when you buy; and they should offer a return-guarantee within 14 days if you don't like what you bought. less free-loaders downloading stuff with no pruchase intent - and a better experience for intenders - the full feature set - in exchange for a little payment info up-front. i offer a counter proposal. i think the software industry has spoiled users with freeware and trials.

i can’t go into nordstrom and as for a free 15-day trail of a nice new sweater. but i can buy it, bring it home, decide if it goes with my existing wardrobe and then return it for a refund in 14 days if it doesn’t fit.

software should be the same. the nero website should have enough product information to remove the ambiguity about what you will get when you buy; and they should offer a return-guarantee within 14 days if you don’t like what you bought.

less free-loaders downloading stuff with no pruchase intent - and a better experience for intenders - the full feature set - in exchange for a little payment info up-front.

]]> Comment on New Workstation- Part 1 Antec P182 Case by JimBob http://www.alexhopmann.com/2007/12/17/new-workstation-part-1-antec-p182-case/#comment-25948 Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:13:20 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2007/12/17/new-workstation-part-1-antec-p182-case/#comment-25948 Hi - Thank you Thank you Thank you. I spent more than an hour trying to work out, and trying every combination, as to why the the DVD would not fit flush into the 5.25 bay. When you look at the hard drive bays, it seems logical to assume that the 5.25' drives should have the brackets mounted the same way, but NO! Nil points for Antec's naff instructions in the manual. A simple picture would suffice! My Antec P182 came with the extra fan but was not fitted, but cheers for the heads up. Top effort! Hi - Thank you Thank you Thank you. I spent more than an hour trying to work out, and trying every combination, as to why the the DVD would not fit flush into the 5.25 bay. When you look at the hard drive bays, it seems logical to assume that the 5.25′ drives should have the brackets mounted the same way, but NO!

Nil points for Antec’s naff instructions in the manual. A simple picture would suffice!

My Antec P182 came with the extra fan but was not fitted, but cheers for the heads up.

Top effort!

]]> Comment on Silicon Image SATARAID5 and Reboots by Aaron http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/07/28/silicon-image-sataraid5-and-reboots/#comment-25327 Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:48:52 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/07/28/silicon-image-sataraid5-and-reboots/#comment-25327 Hey guys, having the same problem here as well. Good to see I'm not alone. The biggest thing I'm concerned is that I have this mass storage device acting as my archive for my Media Center and I have the thing on a bi-weekly reboot for refresh performance. The concern is that should I have a drive go down and a reboot occurs before I can replace and rebuild the drive, what happens? As I'm sure you guys know, a RAID 5 problem beyond one drive is pretty much critical causing total data loss. Anyway, that's just my thoughts, I hope someone finds a solution or that Silicon Image is paying attention to this. Should this result in data loss, I'll seriously consider boycotting all SI products in the future. A RAID 5 system, even external, should not be suffering from a rebuild issue everytime a normal shutdown or reboot is triggered in the OS. How else is one supposed to disconnect and shutdown or reboot properly if not from the normal proceedures? Good luck to everyone else having this trouble. Hey guys, having the same problem here as well. Good to see I’m not alone. The biggest thing I’m concerned is that I have this mass storage device acting as my archive for my Media Center and I have the thing on a bi-weekly reboot for refresh performance. The concern is that should I have a drive go down and a reboot occurs before I can replace and rebuild the drive, what happens? As I’m sure you guys know, a RAID 5 problem beyond one drive is pretty much critical causing total data loss.

Anyway, that’s just my thoughts, I hope someone finds a solution or that Silicon Image is paying attention to this. Should this result in data loss, I’ll seriously consider boycotting all SI products in the future. A RAID 5 system, even external, should not be suffering from a rebuild issue everytime a normal shutdown or reboot is triggered in the OS. How else is one supposed to disconnect and shutdown or reboot properly if not from the normal proceedures?

Good luck to everyone else having this trouble.

]]> Comment on Strange Network Problem by kelly http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/03/12/strange-network-problem/#comment-24556 Sun, 24 Aug 2008 14:46:14 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/03/12/strange-network-problem/#comment-24556 I have the same issue, I think the network card is dead. Looking on google on how to disable it as there is nothing in the bios, just want to get rid of the on-board so i can add a pci. There is something very wrong with IRQ or just bad chip that burnt up. I have the same issue, I think the network card is dead. Looking on google on how to disable it as there is nothing in the bios, just want to get rid of the on-board so i can add a pci. There is something very wrong with IRQ or just bad chip that burnt up.

]]> Comment on Silicon Image SATARAID5 and Reboots by Alex http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/07/28/silicon-image-sataraid5-and-reboots/#comment-23730 Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:12:24 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/07/28/silicon-image-sataraid5-and-reboots/#comment-23730 So far I am still experiencing the same problem although rebuilds appear faster with the newest driver update. The enclosure seems great and the eSATA controller hardware also seems fine, but the RAID5 software thing just has this stupid issue. So far I am still experiencing the same problem although rebuilds appear faster with the newest driver update. The enclosure seems great and the eSATA controller hardware also seems fine, but the RAID5 software thing just has this stupid issue.

]]> Comment on Silicon Image SATARAID5 and Reboots by Jason http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/07/28/silicon-image-sataraid5-and-reboots/#comment-23438 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:35:38 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/07/28/silicon-image-sataraid5-and-reboots/#comment-23438 Are you still experiencing the issue noted in your post? I'm considering picking up the same model, and am curious to see if you've found a workaround. It looks like a solid enclosure overall. Are you still experiencing the issue noted in your post? I’m considering picking up the same model, and am curious to see if you’ve found a workaround. It looks like a solid enclosure overall.

]]> Comment on Cisco Acquires Pure Networks and Linksys WRT600N Impressions by brett http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/07/23/cisco-acquires-pure-networks-and-linksys-wrt600n-impressions/#comment-22690 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:35:02 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/07/23/cisco-acquires-pure-networks-and-linksys-wrt600n-impressions/#comment-22690 kudos to alex on this deal too. alex played an instumental role in pure networks history and evolution - not least of which was the creation of the HNAP protocol that cisco values so highly. kudos to alex on this deal too. alex played an instumental role in pure networks history and evolution - not least of which was the creation of the HNAP protocol that cisco values so highly.

]]> Comment on Microsoft Velocity and Memcache by Alex http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/06/09/microsoft-velocity-and-memcache/#comment-22167 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:54:10 +0000 http://www.alexhopmann.com/2008/06/09/microsoft-velocity-and-memcache/#comment-22167 NCache looks interesting, although I've got to say the pricing of $1000/cpu seems stratospheric. I can't find anywhere on the site that says whether that is per-core or per physical chip, but still $2000-$8000 per server when we typically spec out servers that cost less than $2000 for high-end 8-core systems is way too much (especially given the free availability of memcache). NCache looks interesting, although I’ve got to say the pricing of $1000/cpu seems stratospheric. I can’t find anywhere on the site that says whether that is per-core or per physical chip, but still $2000-$8000 per server when we typically spec out servers that cost less than $2000 for high-end 8-core systems is way too much (especially given the free availability of memcache).

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