Re: [Xen-users] SPEC VIRT

[Luke Crawford <lsc@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 3 Nov 2006, Tim Post wrote:

> The fact remains that they are renting them because they are advertised
> as effortless and easy and the majority just doesn't know any better.
This is where they are getting "ripped off" - not in getting shorted on 
resources.
> Folks tend to consult the great oracle known as "Google" and seldom get
> past the first 5 - 10 results. Its a growing problem, and very little to
> be done about it.
I'm #12 for "xen hosting" right now... I'm fairly careful to go for the 
more proficent customers.  Getting people that are not unix people 
results in headaches that are unprofitable for all involved:
"hosting services for the technically adept. At ----, we don't assume 
you're stupid."
I think this makes it fairly clear that I am not targeting less-technical 
customers;  in fact, I am rather directly insulting them (perhaps 
unfairly;  there are plenty of people that are non-technical for reasons 
other than lack of intelectual capacity.)  they are clearly better served 
by application service providers.  VPS providers are simply not equiped to 
serve non-technical customers.  (I soppose you could do it if you had, 
say, a 20:1 customer:SysAdmin ratio, but that would get expensive fast.)
(I should probably take out the bit about being scaleable;  until I solve 
my power problem, or until my current customers start jumping ship due to 
my stupid mistakes,  I'm not scaling shit.)
Climbing the google results ladder is not particularly difficult;  the 
google algorythem is rather good- if you can get yourself linked from good 
sites, and if your page is not too cluttered, you rise to the top fairly 
quickly.  I've put almost zero effort into SEO, aside from keeping my 
markup sparse and clean, and making my <H1> tags relivant to the subject 
matter at hand.
> I agree and like I said, if your going to drive a car you should know
> how to not get ripped off by a mechanic. Same goes with a hosting
> provider .. but sadly its just not the case.
I think this is more like "If you don't want to learn how to drive, you 
should take a a taxi.  If you can't afford a taxi, take the train or the 
bus, or just walk."  Basic UNIX is something that just about 
everyone could learn if they want to put in the effort.  (Like driving, 
only a few will become experts, but most people can become adaquate.)
Not knowing how to change the oil is fine, as long as you are willing to 
put in the effort and expence to find a compitent mechanic;  but if you 
don't know how to drive you are a danger to yourself and others.
There are many service providers that create products specifically for 
the "I don't want to be technical" market; most of them are cheaper than a 
VPS, as well.   customers without technical interests ought to be pushed 
in the direction of those companies.
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