Re: alphalinux.org and linuxalpha.org

[Stephen Lewis <lewis napanet net>]

As an amateur user of an Alpha Linux system I find it
profoundly depressing that the Open Linux on ALPHA
community has such an apparently small following.
The Alpha is the best chip ever invented by humankind
and one day archaeologists will marvel at the craftsmanship
of such a piece of silicon and doubtless wonder as to
its purpose. Right now, however, I feel that we need "AlphaLinux.Org" to
unite the faithful.
The info there (the few times that I have glimpsed it)
is useful and central repository. Anyone using
a search engine tries 'alpha linux org" and gets nowhere.
I don't know how I can contribute to the resolution but
if the hardware can be retrieved and the domain name secured
surely *someone* at maybe Compaq or RedHat or an "edu"
someplace could find a corner of their lab to locate it.
here's hoping the Alpha community can get it together,
Thank you RedHat for this list without which I would
be lost indeed,

Stephen Lewis

> Subject: 
>         alphalinux.org and linuxalpha.org (was Re: Nvidia video cards)
>     Date: 
>         Thu, 31 Jan 2002 15:05:30 -0500 (EST)
>     From: 
>         Rich Payne <rdp@talisman.alphalinux.org>
>  Reply-To: 
>         axp-list@redhat.com
>      To: 
>         "William H. Magill" <magill@isc.upenn.edu>
>      CC: 
>         axp-list@redhat.com, debian-alpha@lists.debian.org, suse-axp@suse.com
> 
> 
> 
> OK, I'm sending this to all the lists as there's been a few questions
> about this circulating (sorry if anyone's offended by the cross
> posting).
> 
> On Thu, 31 Jan 2002, William H. Magill wrote:
> 
> > This question was recently posted on the Suse list...
> > 
> > Anybody know what's up with www.alphalinux.org...?
> > It appears that the domain has been hijacked.
> 
> Not hijacked...but, the machine that has run alphalinux.org for the past
> several years is in California, hosted by theshell.com. They have
> graciously allowed us to use their bandwidth at no charge due to the fact
> that one of the gents that started theshell.com likes Alphas. Now, over
> the past several months the site become more and more flakey and we're
> now at the point where the machine is not on the net. 
> 
> I don't know why and any requests I send to them are just
> ignored. Unfortunatly the domain name is owned by the person mentioned
> above and he has become "bored" with computers and I seem unable to get a
> hold of him. So it doesn't look good for alphalinux.org.
> 
> > One eventually gets re-directed to a place called "theshell.com"
> > 
> > www.linuxalpha.org apparently has the same problem.
> 
> www.linuxalpha.org is a different story. When alphalinux.org starting
> becoming flakey I looked for a second site, someone at Compaq offered up
> a
> machine that's on the net doing other things and basically said we could
> use it. He wrote to me last week to say the machine was going to have
> some
> hardware upgraded and that it would be down for a day or so, this was a
> few days ago and I've heard nothing but I'd guess they are busy working
> on
> it and it will hopefully be back soon.
> 
> So, if all goes well www.linuxalpha.org should be back before to long,
> don't hold you breath on www.alphalinux.org. 
> 
> hope that helps,
> --rdp
> 
> -- 
> Rich Payne
> http://talisman.mv.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>    Subject: 
>         RE: alphalinux.org and linuxalpha.org (was Re: Nvidia video cards)
>     Date: 
>         Thu, 31 Jan 2002 15:38:04 -0500
>     From: 
>         "Peter Petrakis" <voodoo@alphadriven.org>
>  Reply-To: 
>         axp-list@redhat.com
>      To: 
>         <axp-list@redhat.com>
>      CC: 
>         <debian-alpha@lists.debian.org>
> 
> 
> 
> Could 'one' person please CC this to the suse list, I am not subscribed.
> 
> I'm going to disagree with Rich here. The machines (plurl) ARE hijacked.
> Barrett become so "disinterested" with computers at one point he tried
> to ebay the UP2000 API donated to US without even telling me or Rich.
> If it wasnt for Kirk Erichson giving me a heads up the thing would have
> been sold for under 5K with the profits going in his pocket.
> It's a 15K machine. Rich Payne is the orignal owner of alphalinux.org the
> domain but the administrative part of it was transfered to Barrett for
> some reasons that where practical at the time. Rich still pays the bill
> even
> though the domain name effectivly points no where.
> 
> I have CALLED him numerous times only to be screened on his caller
> ID or dumped into his voice mail. He's never returned a call or
> an email since the ebay incident which was summer 2000, maybe earlier.
> We've faxed him domain trasnfer forms that have been ignored along
> with phone calls regarding that subject. So this is the situation.
> 
> Barrett G. Lyon holds hostage by his inaction and blatant disregard in
> general:
> 
> 1 UP2000 dual 667/2 in a CH320 chassis. Been offline for 2 years +.
> 
> 1 164LX donated by a former linux/alpha user under certain terms which
> are NOT being met. It's supposed to have net access so he can use it from
> time to time for a shell.
> 
> 1 domain name, alphalinux.org .
> 
> The last recourse besides a firmly written letter sent via certified mail
> is probably legal action of which I wouldnt know how to begin. One
> last handicap, Barrett's Dad is a lawyer :-).
> 
> So (me) having no job and very little money I ask the alphalinux
> community.
> 
> Help.
> 
> Ideas, suggestions, course of action, resources aka money, lawyers,
> and/or
> your time would be greatly, heartfelt appreciated.
> 
> If we can get the hardware back it does nobody any good for it to sit
> in mine or Rich's house. It would require colocation of which costs
> money.
> We'll cross that road when we get there.
> 
> If anyone wishes to speak with me just email me and I'll send you my
> number. I'd rather not publish my home phone on a mailing list.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Peter
>