The website is down because someone removed the X-Box

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RichardDeaf

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This is so funny!!

Public Universities are always running on a limited budget which means they sometimes come up with “innovative” solutions. A couple of years back, an X-Box with some variant of Linux installed had been put in the server room to support a subject designed to teach computer-illiterate Philosophy students how to build their own web pages. This unorthodox platform was chosen because one of the techs was a Linux enthusiast and had convinced “the powers that be” that a cheap web server solution for this subject could be implemented using an X-Box rather than a standard PC or server. Grateful to save money where they could, the project was approved.

Several years later and most of the staff in the department had moved on to bigger and better things. There was a new manager and a brand new set of helpdesk techs. The department’s Unix administrator was one of the few people left who knew what the X-Box was used for. Each year before the second semester class began he powered up the X-Box and updated its software. Few of the other staff ventured into the server room so there was little reason to wonder why an X-Box was sitting on the rack.

Five weeks into the “Web pages for Philosophy students” class the excrement encountered the rotary cooling device. The IT department’s help desk started receiving calls from Philosophy students who were unable to access their web projects.

Flummoxed, the help desk staff escalated the job ticket to the Unix administrator. Unable to remotely access the X-Box, he trotted off to the server room. He was surprised to find that the X-Box was no longer present. He did a quick search of the room but failed to find it. As it did not look as though someone had broken in to the room, there had to be another explanation.

The administrator went down to the new manager’s office to report the missing X-Box. The new manager was quiet for a moment and then sheepishly informed the administrator that it was he who had removed the X-Box. The manager had thought the X-Box was just a games console that the IT departments staff used for recreation when it got quiet. Noticing that the X-Box hadn’t been moved from the server room for some time and that his son was going to be at home on school holidays for the next two weeks, the manager decided to take the X-Box home so that his son would have something to entertain himself with. The manager then drove home and retrieved the X-Box. The administrator got a labeling machine and plastered the words “This is actually a server” all across the console.
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You just cleared it up, my bad. Initially, I thought it inpossible for an Xbox to function as a server.
 
SCBassist said:
You just cleared it up, my bad. Initially, I thought it inpossible for an Xbox to function as a server.
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any device with a powerful processor, RAM, and hdd... you can do just about anything. I don't remember which country (I think Iraq) but it acquired hundreds of Xbox (or was it PS3?) to build network of missile defense system. pretty damn cheap and powerful spec!
 
jiro123 said:
any device with a powerful processor, RAM, and hdd... you can do just about anything. I don't remember which country (I think Iraq) but it acquired hundreds of Xbox (or was it PS3?) to build network of missile defense system. pretty damn cheap and powerful spec!
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What missile system? Not US MIM-104 or MIM-23 SAMs as they come with separate radar systems.
 
Missile defense systems are maintained by X-box? :jaw:

What a funny thought!
 
Wokamuka said:
Missile defense systems are maintained by X-box? :jaw:

What a funny thought!
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lol lol we're in 21st century. pretty much every computers regardless of size can do anything. gota love the wonder of CPU power and its miniaturization.

SCBassist said:
Military will NOT allow this! LOL Iranian or any rogue nation might!
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sure they do but of course not for operational purpose. Handful of colleges (with limited budgetes) do it to act as poor man's mini-supercomputer.

You have no idea how incredibly powerful PS3 chip is. it's powered by IBM-designed microprocessor called Cell.
 
Original Xbox use Pentium 3 based Celeron, I think it was x86 instruction set.

Current gen of 3 consoles, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 use PPC based, it has been formerly on Mac until 2006 when Apple switched to Intel (x86) because of PPC don't meet their satisfy, also Apple made right decision on transition from PPC into Intel.
 
Pacman said:
Original Xbox use Pentium 3 based Celeron, I think it was x86 instruction set.

Current gen of 3 consoles, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360 use PPC based, it has been formerly on Mac until 2006 when Apple switched to Intel (x86) because of PPC don't meet their satisfy, also Apple made right decision on transition from PPC into Intel.
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Agreed. The best decision Steve Jobs ever made for Apple's future.
 
jiro123 said:
Agreed. The best decision Steve Jobs ever made for Apple's future.
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Now, if they now make it as cheap as intel PC, they would get more customers. I was considering Apple late last year, but I decided not to due to lack of softwares and they are toooooo expensive...

Only sightly problem with Apple I have: they are a control freak.
 
RichardDeaf said:
Now, if they now make it as cheap as intel PC, they would get more customers. I was considering Apple late last year, but I decided not to due to lack of softwares and they are toooooo expensive...

Only sightly problem with Apple I have: they are a control freak.
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yup :| I really like its iMac but........ the price tag is not quite attractive at all
 
RichardDeaf said:
Now, if they now make it as cheap as intel PC, they would get more customers. I was considering Apple late last year, but I decided not to due to lack of softwares and they are toooooo expensive...

Only sightly problem with Apple I have: they are a control freak.
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Never heard of VMware? Apple are not expensive as you think.
 
The Highlander said:
Never heard of VMware? Apple are not expensive as you think.
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VMWare's pretty cool. I use it for Ubuntu. Once I get my PC restored, I'm gona install Apple... if i can find it
 
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