OpenD6 Update Thread

[The Game Guy]

Life intervened, and I've been absent from the forums for awhile. But, I'm back now and am excited to see this moving forward. Eric, is there any update on the PDF's that you mentioned in your 5/31 post?

Thanks!

-Chris

I of course am not Eric but I know he is out of town and wont be back for a week or so, so dont expect any progress for at least a week.

[hellsreach]

Well Tuesday evening I had the opportunity to have a little update meeting with the OpenD6 developer. The project continues to come along very nicely. It is wonderful to see all the little bits start to fall together into a workable portal. In addition, the visual representation of the site is also coming to form. The design is very simple, uncomplicated and, well, open. This should make for simple navigation and ease of use and avoid all of the pitfalls of bad design and usually stem from overly complicated layouts. After all, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should. I'm happy the developer has steered me away from my attempts to complicate the site with needless features.

Of course, the major discussion as of late has been that of hardware and not software. Months ago, while development was being done on the local server, it quickly became apparent that our virtual dedicated server was straining under the wait of OpenD6. While it doesn't have the pure bandwidth issues of a video media site, most of OpenD6's more useful features require a fair amount of processing power and memory management. Not an obscene level, mind you, but enough that my underpowered machine was no longer enough. So, he and I have been investigating solutions. It became rather obvious that, to meet all of the needs we had for OpenD6 and numerous other sites, I'd have to step up to a fully dedicated server. Unfortunately, the cost for dedicated servers are actually fairly high for the capabilities they provide. The next solution was the best. Rather than "rent" a server that has been around for possibly many years, is virtually out of date and still expensive, I'd buy my own server just as I need it and lease colocation space. Ultimately, I've decided that I'd use my years of computer technical services/ network design experience (that was actually my business before WEG), build my own blade server, and host it at a local data center. Fortunately, for not much more, I was able to build in a large degree of growth. Of course the cost (the monthly cost of the bandwidth and the server itself) ends up being higher than what I was paying per month previously, but I was fairly certain that was going to happen as my needs increased. The equipment is on order and I'm narrowing down some data center space and soon we should be blazing like we've never blazed before.

This, of course, leads me to that sad little point when I have to stick my hand out and panhandle for change.

After many hundreds of hours of programming, costing thousands of dollars, and after the cost for new equipment and increase data access requirements, I thought this might be a fair time to plead for financial assistance. I'm hoping the fans of prospective publishers of OpenD6 will see the value in what we are trying to do here and perhaps soften the financial burden of the project. So, I'm asking anyone with the will and means to do so, please make a donation to help start to recoup costs. I'm not asking for you to make any commitment, and I'd like this remain respectable and silent. If you are able, please send recovery to WEG paypal account. If you are unable, no one will judge you. I know how tough it has been in the world economy lately. I've experienced it too.

paypal@westendgames.com

I'd also like to take a moment to offer up an additional suggestion. Though I certainly do not want to transition to a professional web host, It would be foolish of me to not utilize my (soon to be) very abundant server resources. To that end, I want to offer of web hosting services to folks. This will help me to further spread the cost of equipment and bandwidth.

I'm well aware of the many services out here that offer web services at a very low price, and I'll do everything I can to remain competitive. I'll also have a great deal of wiggle room regarding the design of various packages. The only advantage I'll have over most is that I'll be offering Windows Server hosting and while Linux is a powerful a stable server platform, there remains some services that can only be provided on a Windows machine. If this is something you might need, please let me know. Please email me if you have any questions or needs that I can address.

hellsreach@gmail.com

[Noven]

Too bad it is a Windows server Hellsreach otherwise I would have jumped at the chance. I have been pissed at my hosting provider for quite some time heh.

[hellsreach]

Too bad it is a Windows server Hellsreach otherwise I would have jumped at the chance. I have been pissed at my hosting provider for quite some time heh.

Do you NEED Linux? Most services available for Linux are also available for Windows. Unfortunately, the opposite cannot be said.

[Noven]

Do you NEED Linux? Most services available for Linux are also available for Windows. Unfortunately, the opposite cannot be said.

I prefer a linux server since I use linux at home, and I am a proponent of FOSS =). So yea, I NEED linux hosting.

[Rerun941]

Glad to hear things are coming along, Hellsreach!

If I were a publisher or in need of web hosting, I would be all over that.

Sadly, I am a mere RPG hobbyist/fanboy with a few scattered notes that I don't really consider worthy for public consumption.

[hellsreach]

I prefer a linux server since I use linux at home, and I am a proponent of FOSS =). So yea, I NEED linux hosting.

Oh, I hear you. I cut my network teeth on Linux and other Microsoft also rans. Actually, my second business and the one I enjoyed the greatest amount of success with, was as a network service consultation firm, specializing in implimentation of Linux/Unix and Novell Netware networks. That shows you how long ago I got started. As if I needed further dating, my CNE is for Netware 3.1x, although be be perfect honest, I worked on Netware 4 and 5 at a rate of about 20 to 1 over Netware 3.12 and its earlier versions. Anyway, long story every so slightly less short, I'll a Linux guys from WAY back. Up to a couple years about, I new almost infinitely more about administration of Linus server, than Windows. Hell, I still am not what I'd call an expert with Windows. In the end, I learned Windows because I was forced to by utility needs and I've found that, while expensive and limiting with regards to customization, Windows is actually a pretty damn good OS, and very stable, as long as people don't go mucking around were they don't belong. Of course, mucky around with Linux or Unix if you don't know what you're doing is actually far, far worse precisely BECAUSE you are given the freedom the change, customize, recompile and basically break stuff.

As for FOSS, while Linux is certain FOSS and Windows is not, the distinction in third party software is not as distinct anymore. There is certainly a lot of Windows apps which are free and open, and a fair number of Linux apps that have portions which are closed up like a trap, and expensive as all hell.

[hellsreach]

As for open a Linux server, that is a possibility
for the future, but not until I can justify the expense. What, may I
ask, would you require in terms of storage, and transfer? Do you need
any specific utility or service needs? And while a realize such a
question is atypical of a host provider, what are you currently
using/paying. I only ask because I would like to see if I could even
reasonable try and beat your current service in function and or price.

[ptingler]

Any news on when you'll have the SRD posted or attach the OGL to the current d6 book pdfs?

[hellsreach]

Any news on when you'll have the SRD posted or attach the OGL to the current d6 book pdfs?

Well, I'm not going to lie to you. Putting the SRD together hasn't been on the top of my priority list. It has remain up NEAR the top, but there always seems to be another crisis to deal with. I know,it would take such little effort and time to at least slap the OGL into the D6 PDFs and call it official (even if PDF are not the most useful format for prospective publishers).

I really don't want to push my work off on other people, but should anyone else have the time or inclination to do just that, place the OGL in each 51000 series book, indicating in each the the D6 and the the D6 trademark, and all cover and interior art and trade dress are product identity, I can PROMISE that those files will be up on the website for free download before you can blink (as long as you eyes have been glued open with Gorilla Glue). Additionally, as soon as the file for D6 Adventure goes up, I'll also be able to put the Spanish translation up as well.