RE: [cobalt-users] Sun Micro to buy Cobalt in $2 billion stock de al -

[Brandon Wheaton <brandonw@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>>>I think all vendors could probably make improvements in their support
>>>but generally speaking, I have found Sun to be better than most.
>>
>>
>>I have 6 words for you:
>>
>>"You get what you pay for."

>Hmm...RaQ3i's are VERY expensive compared to comparably priced PCs, 
>and 9 months later they still don't have ethernet drivers compatible 
>with the controllers onboard (although the code has been around for 
>months in the public domain). I guess sometimes you don't get what 
>you think you paid for.


Well first off, the RaQ is not a PC. It is a specialized server 
appliance. But your message did prompt me to do a little comparison
shopping. Consider these other comparable 1U server appliances and 
their prices to the Raq 4i (in order of cost):

Linux
Penguin Computing Relion 100 512MB/20gb/650Mhz/2xethernet: $1742.00
VA Linux 100 512MB/20gb/750Mhz/2xethernet: $3594.00 
Cobalt RaQ4i 512MB/30gb/450Mhz/2xethernet: $3999.00
Dell Powerapp Web 100 512MB/2x18gb IDE/700Mhz/2xethernet: $4,898.00 
SGI 1200L 512MB/18GB U2SCSI (up to 4 drvs)/550Mhz/2xethernet: $5190.00*
Compaq DL360 512MB/18GB U2SCSI RAID 1or0/550Mhz/2xethernet: $5437.00

*(2U enclosure)

Solaris
Sun Netra t105 512MB/18GB UWSCSI/440Mhz/2xethernet: $7,691.00


Of the 7 other popular Internet appliances the RaQ4i ranks third 
cheapest. This is also considering that most of these other 
systems come equipped with keyboard and monitor support as well 
as CD-ROM and floppy drives (and SCSI RAID), which are absent 
on the cobalt. When you say the RaQ is VERY expensive, you have 
to make sure and compare it to hardware of the same caliber. 
These other systems don't come with a proprietary GUI that I 
know of (the SGI might) but you can install Webmin or a similar 
(better than Cobalt) GUI administration utility on any of these 
systems; and without having to worry about any silly warranties 
being voided.

Also consider this:

Support packages offered from Dell:
Red Hat, 10 Resolutions, Linux Software Phone Support [add $1749]
Red Hat, 5 Resolutions, Linux Software Phone Support [add $899]
Red Hat,5X12 Annual Support [add $899]
Red Hat,7X12 Annual Support [add $1259]