Suddenly I've got gold burning a hole in my pocket and a desire to make it count.

submitted by JasonCarswell from (self.AskSaidIt)

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[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

My new/secondhand/refurbished Linux Mint (unless persuaded otherwise) box wouldn't be too fancy other than more RAM for many tabs and a better video card for more monitors.

I promise, Linux Mint can run on anything. I installed it onto my 20 year-old laptop my mom got scammed into buying me when I was like 13 (I'll spare you the story), and it runs perfect. Which edition do you use? I just use Cinnamon.

I have never set up a server before so I don't even know where to start.

It's actually pretty simple. As long as you have hardware that can handle the load, you can usually just download some software for whatever purpose you intend, port-forward, and get to work. (Though it's best you either buy a static IP address or use a name service like no-ip.) I set up servers all the time, and the only problem I've ever had is related to software. (Though the first time was a real pain, due my inexperience.)

I don't have much of a plan for it other than I want to be of service. Does this mean some kind of archive, PeerTube instance, or SaidIt or WikiSpooks mirror backup? Maybe I should learn Mastodon or other federated things. You tell me what we need.

Good on you! Really think about if what you want to do will actually be of any utility, and if you can actually do it. Archives require a lot of storage space, especially for social media websites with tons of user-generated content. Also, Saidit already has a mirror on NAB, so the utility of another one could be disputed.

Good luck, man! I don't have any answers, but at least I can wish you well.

[–]JasonCarswell[S] 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Great insights! Yes, Cinnamon was the one I was planning on. I already have it on a thumbdrive, but my 2 old computers don't boot up from USB easily. It may be time to make it permanent.

If they can censor SaidIt then they can censor NAB, and of course me. The more of us there are the wider the target. I don't need to nor intend to build another community so much as be an alternative federated backup option when under attack. I just want to be a backup, in case. The SaidIt database is not big - less than 10 gb, much like WikiSpooks is 6.4gb. Being a SaidIt backup might be an option, but it's not really my priority.

IMO, hosting at home, storage space is not as much of a problem as bandwidth assuming there are many users. If few people actually visit the archive at any one time then my world is their oyster. Hosting services limit your website storage. I guess what I'm offering is vast space, less bandwidth, and personalize accessibility - with a modicum of personal accountability.

Whatever "I do" I won't be able to do it alone. I'll need advice, assistance, co-admins, and maybe even a little special coding. Most importantly as a community we'll need to develop clear goals and organized functionality to be useful and meaningful. If we don't find something obvious now, maybe just keep the potential in mind, so that if something comes up down the road we can develop it.

Thanks for the good vibes.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You're welcome :P

Does the database include all the posts and stuff? I didn't think it would be that small (still not small, though) but I guess since Saidit is mostly just text it's not a big deal. It's also only a few years old, so that helps. That size, as you said, would still be an issue bandwidth-wise, though.

Yeah, you'd obviously need some help with certain things. There are a lot of resources online, and that's got me through most trials (plus a bit of trial and error).

I'm not the person you want to quote about these kind of things, but I do have some basic experience with running servers and websites, and I do a fair bit of coding in Python, HTML, and Javascript. My code is functional, but not great. Feel free to shoot me a message if all else fails. At the very least I should be able to find a webpage for you to read.

Good luck!