So, I'm thinking about building a home lab made of various servers and software, mostly for learning purposes and with very minimal traffic. These are my current specs:

-4GB RAM
-250GB hard drive
-Intel E7500 core 2 duo processor running at 2.93 GHz
-Onboard NIC

I intend to install/build these:
-VMWare Vsphere Hypervisor(free edition)
-Webserver
-PBX
-Veeam Backup (free edition)

VMWare will hold the Webserver and PBX as virtual hosts. Does this seem feasible to you guys? Basically I'm operating on a budget somwhere between "Ha." and "Pick the paycheck you're pulling out of very wisely, and replace things on your current desktop. the old hardware can go to this."

A lot of jobs are looking for examples of things that I've done, and I want to be able to tout the current things listed, and use them if possible for home. I will be building a website to act as a portfolio on the webserver and detail the progress in all of this. If you have better suggestions than what I've listed, please let me know.

@Dashrender said in News Ideas for City Driving:

but for a decade now scientists have been able to transfer power through gaps up to 2 meters with efficiency nearing 100 percent.

Wow, nearly 100% efficiency?

Is this one of those lines where nearing actually means 50%, but hey they were only at 40% efficient a year ago.. so they are nearing...

lol. Just some quick research tells me somwhere between 50-75%, with the current average being around 52%

I'm at 120xp for today

Well that sucks... I'm almost through the basics. lol

@scottalanmiller said in DuoLingo Challenge:

@NerdyDad said in DuoLingo Challenge:

My family has no interest in learning another language, because of 'Merica.

But America officially speaks Spanish.

I plan on learning Spanish, French, Chinese, and Irish. At least lol

@Minion-Queen said in DuoLingo Challenge:

Keep in mind your roommate can help you practice with French.

As can my girlfriend. Hence a good reason why I'm learning it. lol

@scottalanmiller I would join that if it wasn't set purely for italian on DuoLingo. My first attempt at a new language will be french. lol

@IRJ Booyaa!!

@gjacobse Not entirely sure, but I don't think I'd do python. A bit too heavy of a language for this. Might slow things down. I'd be perfectly fine learning a new language to do it lol

@gjacobse said in Anyone Dealt With Isonas Door Access?:

@FiyaFly said in Anyone Dealt With Isonas Door Access?:

@JaredBusch said in Anyone Dealt With Isonas Door Access?:

@FiyaFly said in Anyone Dealt With Isonas Door Access?:

@JaredBusch Why does it not surprise me that you have touched this system? lol. You are probably more on top of these types of things than most people I know.

Just to make you feel a little old, I was seven years old when you stopped being an installer.

Sorry, let me clarify, I have never installed this brand.

But I worked for a local security company and a national one (ADT) for about 8 years (1993-2000) as a commercial installer. I specialized in building access control systems (all PC based stuff that ran on a serial loop back then).

Gotcha. These guys have a good hook and kickass hardware. All IP based, low install costs, and very little hardware.
However, the software hasn't held up to the hype.

Write your own?

That concept has legitimately crossed my mind.

@JaredBusch said in Anyone Dealt With Isonas Door Access?:

@FiyaFly said in Anyone Dealt With Isonas Door Access?:

@JaredBusch Why does it not surprise me that you have touched this system? lol. You are probably more on top of these types of things than most people I know.

Just to make you feel a little old, I was seven years old when you stopped being an installer.

Sorry, let me clarify, I have never installed this brand.

But I worked for a local security company and a national one (ADT) for about 8 years (1993-2000) as a commercial installer. I specialized in building access control systems (all PC based stuff that ran on a serial loop back then).

Gotcha. These guys have a good hook and kickass hardware. All IP based, low install costs, and very little hardware.
However, the software hasn't held up to the hype.

@wirestyle22 said in What Are You Doing Right Now:

@Mike-Ralston I try to make all of my own stuff, but outside of some very specific Raspberry Pi power stuff, power scares me. I really don't know enough about it.

and to think, I usually fix lights with them turned on...

@wirestyle22 said in Best speakers for School Epson projector:

@scottalanmiller said in Best speakers for School Epson projector:

@FiyaFly said in Best speakers for School Epson projector:

@scottalanmiller
Then I've proven the audiophile is not me

Funnily enough, I learned to be an audiophile while living in Flint.

I'd be interested in a write up if you're willing @scottalanmiller. Something I've wanted to learn about for awhile

@Mike-Ralston builds speakers in his spare time as well. You do the right amount of persuasion I figure he could probably teach you anything you want to know on the subject

@NetworkNerd
Hey! Picking up a little spare time to post now, eh?

@scottalanmiller
Then I've proven the audiophile is not me

This seems to be incredibly subjective. This really depends on HOW much better, and what they're willing to pay for. I mean, I know an audiophile who can design, build, and setup the entire room with properly proportioned surround sound with speakers that have a "true to sound" quality for several thousand, but something tells me that isn't what you're looking for.

@JaredBusch Why does it not surprise me that you have touched this system? lol. You are probably more on top of these types of things than most people I know.

Just to make you feel a little old, I was seven years old when you stopped being an installer.

@scottalanmiller said in Why IT Builds a House of Cards:

@John-Nicholson said in Why IT Builds a House of Cards:

@IRJ said in Why IT Builds a House of Cards:

The moral of the story here is you get what you pay for. Every once in awhile you can get a rockstar IT person at $40K a year, but it doesn't really happen very often. Sure, many IT people go start out a $20k and work their way up ( I did), but they are going to view that $40K a year salary as a stepping stone with limited growth. Give them limited support (money and verbal) and the chances of having a dank network get even lower.

$10 an hour to hire IT?!? You can make more waiting tables, or at a gas station. 40K isn't much better (Bartenders make more than this).

Haven't been in SW much I take it. Tons of people complaining about earning less than gas station cashiers and fast food workers.

It's become rather common. Most of my jobs I have been severely underpaid. Not all, mind you, but most.

@IRJ Sweet!