RE: Re: Compaq Proliant Server help

["UKHA" <mailinglists@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Not wanting to start a flame war, of any kind, what-so-ever, but seriously
how can you tell someone is using sniping tools?

For really needed bits of HA kit :) I've been up at ridiculous hours of the
morning to bang in last second bids, manually of course. Sometimes I've
scored in the last few seconds of the game (several times on literally the
last second), but I've also been blown out bidding with few seconds to go,
so seriously, how do you know if you're bidding against a sniper or an
insomniac?


-----Original Message-----
From: Ian Lowe [mailto:ian@xxxxxxx]
Sent: 09 May 2004 15:14
To: ukha_d@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [ukha_d] Re: Compaq Proliant Server help


Tsk :P

<pet subject rant>
In a similar vein, the best way to catch fish in a river is to string a
net across the river and drop some explosives in the water upstream...

Except that doing so ruins the fishing experience for everyone else,
possibly for good.

Sniping Ebay auctions is anti-social behaviour and is widely held to be
responsible for the reduction in the number of cool and interesting
auctions on the site in recent months - good sellers have given up on
ebay because of automated sniping.

Bidding manually at the last second is all a part of the online auction
experience. Using automated tools to do so causes people's auctions to
end with a lower return - a serious disincentive to them offering
anything else for sale, it also blocks out people with a genuine
interest that have been watching the item, sometimes for days.

I like ebay auctions - I like buying, and I like selling. When I see
someone who has *obviously* used sniping software to win an item, I have
to fight the compulsion to just ignore them and make a second chance
offer instead to the "real" winner instead.

Tools are becoming available, such as "Sellathon" which can
actually
alert seller to snipes in progress - allowing us to then add the Sniper
to the Blocked Bidder List.

Let's hope they are effective!
</pet subject rant>

As for Kit, I'd advise steering clear of the Proliant 6500s with
redundant Power Supplies fitted - these guys are really meant to be run
in machine room conditions with a nice smooth supply - I have seen more
than a few of them quite literally blow their guts out (usually out of
the back, through the fan) on dirty mains.

Ironically enough, on a 6500 with a single PSU, I have never seen it
happen.

Also the 8500s (bit big for a house anyway) - the 7000 series were
brilliant bits of kit, absolute workhorses, but the 8500s were plastic
nightmares. :

All time favourite, super reliable Proliant? Why the 6500R Quad Xeon of
course :)

Ian.
(former Compaq Service Engineer ;) )

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Noble [mailto:yahoo-groups@xxxxxxx]

Did you use one of the auction sniper type services? They can improve
your chances of winning - a last minute (literally) bid of your maximum
offer is usually the best way to win an ebay auction...

Jim



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