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Ask HN: What to do with an idle server?

11 points by pragmar 15y ago

I recently upgraded hosting and changed providers in the process. Unfortunately, I prepaid 5 years for a massive discount and have 2 years remaining on the older server. Due to the terms of service, a refund isn't an option - the cost is sunk. I'd considered leaving it up as a mail/svn server, but the benefit would be negligible. Are there any interesting projects (e.g. wave, diaspora) out there that would be worth setting up? Edit- fixed grammar.

pokoleo 15y ago
Ideas: 1. Bitcoin mining. 2. Sub-sell disk space. 3. Host a mirror of your site (if you use your old site for downloads of any kind)
- sliverstorm 15y ago
  Mining is questionable. The cost is sunk, sure, but as a server (i.e. no gfx card) it will probably make less than $2 per week.
jerrya 15y ago
Install nginx and put some porn right on there Install nginx and put some porn right on there Install nginx and put some porn right on there Earl-aye in the morning Wipe its disk run a big TOR server Wipe its disk run a big TOR server Wipe its disk run a big TOR server Earl-aye in the morning That's what I'd do with an idle server That's what I'd do with an idle server That's what I'd do with an idle server Earl-aye in the morning
- jmreardon 15y ago
  For anyone that has no idea what's going on here, this is a reference to a sea shanty called "Drunken Sailor" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunken_Sailor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drunken_Sailor)
  - jerrya 15y ago
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGyPuey-1Jw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGyPuey-1Jw
- dfc 15y ago
  Why wipe its disk for tor and not porn? Tor requires a neglible amount of disk?
  - jerrya 15y ago
    If I were running a tor server as public service, I would be deleting all prior files, and deleting all logs as they are created. I would do this because I would expect at some point, LE might come in and confiscate the machines. It's been amusing to see those lyrics get voted up or down, I am guessing it's had at about 10 up votes, and currently about 11 down votes. It's always interesting to compare HN and SO with /. and similar sites. We don't do humor here, and downvote anyone that tries.
    - baha_man 15y ago
      http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2829619 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2829619 "HN observers often assume we don't have a sense of humor around here. Actually, I've seen a number of funny comments upvoted, and have done so many times myself. It's closer to the truth to say that most people aren't nearly as funny as they think they are."
pdebruic 15y ago
You could run a Tor exit node: https://blog.torproject.org/blog/tips-running-exit-node-minimal-harassment https://blog.torproject.org/blog/tips-running-exit-node-mini...
- pragmar 15y ago
  Thanks for the idea. Tor sounds a bit challenging (legally) -but it would be isolated. Will give it some thought..
dfc 15y ago
Run ntp and join www.pool.ntp.org. NTP is one of those critical infrastructure components that everyone always forgets about. A stable longterm stratum II server is always a welcomed addition. Pool.ntp.org has really made it easier to keep your machines clock accurate. Debian and Ubuntu's ntp packages point to pool servers by default now. I think a lot of other distros do the same. Run a tor middleman node. You won't have any of the legal worries you have about exit nodes. Im not a lawyer but its really unclear what the legal ramifications are for running an exit node anyway:)
JoachimSchipper 15y ago
Lots of open source projects would be happy with an additional mirror. See http://www.openbsd.org/ftp.html#layout http://www.openbsd.org/ftp.html#layout for one project's policy. I'm sure that many other projects have similar pages.
deleted 15y ago
[deleted]
OzzyOsbourne 15y ago
1. Let it do some protein folding - do the world some good. folding@home I think the stanford initiative is called. 2. Set up a 'private dropbox'