RE: [cobalt-users] do you know cobaltracks.com?

["David J. Duffner - NWCWEB.com" <cobalt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: cobalt-users-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
>[mailto:cobalt-users-admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Arthur Sherman
>Sent: Friday, March 26, 2004 11:55 AM
>Subject: [cobalt-users] do you know cobaltracks.com?
>
>
>dear list
> 
>i've found an attractive offer at >http://www.cobaltracks.com/specials/ .
>after going through purchase process i've been told to be contacted ASAP.
>no one contacted me till today.
> 
>obviously, i cancelled the payment.
> 
>any comment on the site?
> 
>Arthur Sherman

	You didn't mention how long that response time was between
ordering and their contact to you.

	In review of the site, it's a bit outdated in many places,
has some broken or half-falsing out links and likes to point out
the fact they're very intelligent for their location.  But as the
cons, they don't point out redundant connections, power backups
and other elements to demonstrate all that work wouldn't be worthless
if a tree fell on their power lines?  Rather strange.

=====================================================================
NOTE: At this point, this is now a personal review of the question
and site.  This includes opinions and experiences with RaQ's and 
other OS's that everyone may not agree with.  Not interested in a
giant flamewar or 1,000 posts on what's 'better or best'.  Take what
you will from the content, make your own judgments and choices.
=====================================================================

	On the pricing, while I'll always love a RaQ we moved to 
Ensim OS servers.  And for this pricing, especially the 'Big Blue'
version, you can get 10X the power and 700GB bandwidth with a 
whole lot more playtoys for 1/3 of that price.

	The deal they show is great for a low end, but comparing 
it to their other pricing (which also seems out of date) that's
a hell of a deal and almost 'too good to be true'.  You'd be paying
50% less than their other clients, so do you get 50% less service?

	They go on to tout the #3 ranking, but that was back in 2001.
Big difference in web hosting in the last 3 years so not to earn the
same award (or be in the list somewhere) in years since concerns me.
And when you click on the link to see how they got to #3, the review
states they only had 13 RaQ's in service?  I could earn customer 
satisfaction with 13 boxes live in my house.  I'd never sleep, but 
that's a rather strange basis for any award.  And then they add on
a big hoopla on hosting with RaQ's, but it makes no specific reference
to this company in particular.  Mighty bizarre.

	And in their support, that looks limited as well.  So if they
provide limited support, who's watching the datacenter?  You should
have the ability to contact someone their for a reboot or other issue
if they've got someone in the building 24/7.  And what does being 
8' underground mean?  I took that as 'we're in a basement' and the
first time it flooded over there you're screwed...

	They claim, in the fine print, that Cobalt supports the RaQ
which we all know is near 0 since the EOL of the entire line.  I also
note they nail you for $2.75/GB in overage, but in blocks of 10GB, 
which also seems very high.  And while the RaQ has flexibility, since
EOL and minor upgrades are the norm you're going to hit walls trying
to install extra software and functionality until someone around this
List hits the mark with a complete replacement OS.  Since Cobalt/Sun
reworked the Linux for the box, many newer applications you might want
to toss in there won't be compatible and you can't easily upgrade the
OS to compensate for that.

	Me, wouldn't touch it.  But, if you're needing a small box 
and low bandwidth, plus low budget requirements, it could be worth
a shot.  Just ask the hardline questions and look for their responses
prior to jumping back in with them.  Support response and service far
outweighs Sales response and service, though Sales should be doing a
far better job than you've indicated.  I had a prior RaQ experience
where it was pure hell getting things set up, but then the service was
excellent (until Interland showed up).  

	HTH!

      David J. Duffner
      VP Operations
      NWC Corporation
      NWCWEB.com
      
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