Servers
| September 22, 2004 @ 11:38 am | Filed under Hardware, Internet, Programming, Software |
Between my job and classes, I have found that I enjoy working with servers and web applications. For my job in the BYU Enterprise Computing Lab I set up our server which was the first server that I ever set up. Setting up the server was a wonderful learning experience. I am also in a class where we are setting up our own servers and building a web application. I love the freedom I have when I have complete control of the server. I now feel like I have my hands tied behind my back when it comes to my web site. I would like to be able to have more freedom on the server where my site is hosted.
I am one of those people that like to poke around and play around with things to learn more about them. By not having a server of my own I can’t learn everything I would like to learn. I had thought about setting up a server from home where I would not have to pay someone else to host my site. I talked with Phil Windley and asked him some questions about a server from home. Unfortunately it wouldn’t be as easy as I had hoped.
The first problem is the extra cost of getting a static IP address from my service provider. I found that if providers find out you want to host a server, they want to charge you like a business. That is money I don’t have.
One solution is to get a dedicated server from a provider which would allow me to have my own machine to have control over. The cheapest dedicated server I have found is $59/month. If I wasn’t a college student it would be more likely that I could afford a dedicated server.
I guess my problem is I want to play with expensive toys when I don’t have the money to play with them. It’s like when I was a kid and wanted a Power Wheels car of my own but all I could do is play on my friends on rare occasions.
My plan in the mean time is to maybe set up a small server in my apartment and play with it and try things on it locally. Doing this would be better than nothing. However, I like to be able to pull up my work anywhere I may be. So until some future time, it will just be a dream unless I can find something for under $10/month which I highly doubt at this time.