Re: Paring down NetBSD

[Andy Ball <ball%grex.org@localhost>]

Hello Lloyd,

  LP> I don't know about Dave, but I usually just throw
    > base.tgz and etc.tgz on embedded boxes. Modern storage
    > has outgrown base.tgz so much that it normally isn't
    > worth the mental effort of stripping a system down any
    > further.

    What about configuration: Do you turn down the logging
or do anything to stop NetBSD mailing root every day?

  LP> That is almost certainly not true. Power requirements
    > for any given unit work of are dropping all the time,
    > so it isn't hard to get new hardware that will be
    > much more efficient than old hardware. By efficient,
    > I mean CPU throughput per watt...

    I understand what you're saying and clearly it will
depend what you're comparing the machine against.  Older
light servers can sometimes be useful as edge devices
where you want one device to do specific light-duty
work: In the past I've used them for print servers and I
currently run a Pentium III (burns <30 Watts) as a
terminal server, providing SSH access to an HVAC system
and logging data from a PABX. When that machine fails it
would make sense to replace it with an embedded board
but until then I can't justify the expense.

-Andy Ball