Comments on: Zonbu & S3 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/ Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:33:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: John http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-5581 John Thu, 06 Dec 2007 20:44:51 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-5581 Take a look at Hamachi. https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/vpn.asp?lang=en Take a look at Hamachi. https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/vpn.asp?lang=en

]]> By: Todd http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-85 Todd Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:05:26 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-85 You know what I was just thinking, and maybe there's already a product/open source project that can do this. But it would be great if there was some simple software you'd install on your home box and all your friends would install on theirs. Then create a private redundant backup shared-storage system. Say, each friend tosses an extra 500 gig hard-drive in their home server, and it's partitioned amongst 10 of their friends...hmmm...would be interesting. Then you could just hook your dad up to yours, and you could even use some of your dad's extra space and you'd have a web of offsite backed up data. You know what I was just thinking, and maybe there’s already a product/open source project that can do this. But it would be great if there was some simple software you’d install on your home box and all your friends would install on theirs. Then create a private redundant backup shared-storage system. Say, each friend tosses an extra 500 gig hard-drive in their home server, and it’s partitioned amongst 10 of their friends…hmmm…would be interesting. Then you could just hook your dad up to yours, and you could even use some of your dad’s extra space and you’d have a web of offsite backed up data.

]]> By: Todd http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-84 Todd Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:37:09 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-84 Hey Ian, I'm looking at something similar and found this low-energy linux box that's quite small. While it doesn't have the $99 price-point, it does have a client $200 one that uses little energy. Would need to load it with some software where to hook it into whatever backend you have. http://www.koolu.com/ Hey Ian, I’m looking at something similar and found this low-energy linux box that’s quite small. While it doesn’t have the $99 price-point, it does have a client $200 one that uses little energy. Would need to load it with some software where to hook it into whatever backend you have.
http://www.koolu.com/

]]> By: Mr. Zonbu http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-83 Mr. Zonbu Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:21:29 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-83 I share your concern about the pricing model, and I find it interesting that you note that the issue may be as much emotional as it is rational. I'm actually working on an upcoming post about this very issue. The problem is, I think, that they are trying to change a business model in an established industry, and that is never an easy task - nor is it often successful. With regards to the unit, it is a significantly higher spec unit than the ewayco units. The Zonbu has a 1.2GHz processor, 6 USB, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of flash etc. There are numerous sources for it, which I've discussed at length on my blog. Remember, the monthly fee is not just for storage it is also because everything is -supposed- to "just work" out of the box, and all the updates and extensions are supposed to seamless. If they can pull that off, it has value for the average end user. What I wanted to know was if you could actually replace a desktop PC with one of these, so I ordered one. I've been blogging about my experiences ever since, and amassed quite a bit of info on the topic. In fact I'm writing this from my Zonbu now, which I just carried to the office (since its more portable than my laptop). My blog can be found here: http://mrzonbu.wordpress.com/ -Mr. Zonbu I share your concern about the pricing model, and I find it interesting that you note that the issue may be as much emotional as it is rational. I’m actually working on an upcoming post about this very issue.

The problem is, I think, that they are trying to change a business model in an established industry, and that is never an easy task - nor is it often successful.

With regards to the unit, it is a significantly higher spec unit than the ewayco units. The Zonbu has a 1.2GHz processor, 6 USB, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of flash etc. There are numerous sources for it, which I’ve discussed at length on my blog.

Remember, the monthly fee is not just for storage it is also because everything is -supposed- to “just work” out of the box, and all the updates and extensions are supposed to seamless. If they can pull that off, it has value for the average end user.

What I wanted to know was if you could actually replace a desktop PC with one of these, so I ordered one. I’ve been blogging about my experiences ever since, and amassed quite a bit of info on the topic. In fact I’m writing this from my Zonbu now, which I just carried to the office (since its more portable than my laptop).

My blog can be found here: http://mrzonbu.wordpress.com/

-Mr. Zonbu

]]> By: Justus http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-80 Justus Tue, 07 Aug 2007 00:17:15 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-80 JungleDisk is pretty nice and worth the price IMHO. There are also a number of open source projects that use S3 (s3sync, for instance). I wrote a simple python-fuse module that I use to provide a globally shared directory between my work and home computers. The python boto library is pretty nice and includes interfaces to the other AWS services. JungleDisk is pretty nice and worth the price IMHO. There are also a number of open source projects that use S3 (s3sync, for instance). I wrote a simple python-fuse module that I use to provide a globally shared directory between my work and home computers. The python boto library is pretty nice and includes interfaces to the other AWS services.

]]> By: Ken Kennedy http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-75 Ken Kennedy Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:42:12 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-75 Another JungleDisk recommendation here...I've just started playing with it, but it's very nice. I agree with your dislike of loss leaders, non-transparent fee structure, etc., and that's part of what I like w/ JungleDisk. $20 for program (for any number of machines, Mac/Linux/Windows...connecting to one S3 account), and then you just pay for S3 storage. I've been using S3 for about a year for occasional VERY large email attachments (upload, then send url), and I've never had a bill greater than $0.17/month. Usually $0.01-$0.03/month. That I can deal with. Another JungleDisk recommendation here…I’ve just started playing with it, but it’s very nice. I agree with your dislike of loss leaders, non-transparent fee structure, etc., and that’s part of what I like w/ JungleDisk. $20 for program (for any number of machines, Mac/Linux/Windows…connecting to one S3 account), and then you just pay for S3 storage. I’ve been using S3 for about a year for occasional VERY large email attachments (upload, then send url), and I’ve never had a bill greater than $0.17/month. Usually $0.01-$0.03/month. That I can deal with.

]]> By: Ian Bicking http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-74 Ian Bicking Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:11:17 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-74 I definitely see the relation to the [Ewayco](http://www.ewayco.com/51-embedded-systems-100-PC-mini-ITX-low-cost/01-embedded-systems-100-pc-mini-itx-low-cost.html) computers, but I can't really tell what model it is. The specs are pretty light too, so I'm not sure what you have to add to one of those to get a working system. JungleDisk is interesting -- looks like it converts WebDAV on localhost to S3 interactions. They have cost comparisons to some other systems, including BingoDisk (which compares favorably with large enough data, but S3 is cheaper for smaller amounts of disk/transfer). I definitely see the relation to the Ewayco computers, but I can’t really tell what model it is. The specs are pretty light too, so I’m not sure what you have to add to one of those to get a working system.

JungleDisk is interesting — looks like it converts WebDAV on localhost to S3 interactions. They have cost comparisons to some other systems, including BingoDisk (which compares favorably with large enough data, but S3 is cheaper for smaller amounts of disk/transfer).

]]> By: Shane Graber http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-71 Shane Graber Mon, 06 Aug 2007 12:48:18 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-71 There's also JungleDisk that does something similar to S3 Backup: http://www.jungledisk.com/ There’s also JungleDisk that does something similar to S3 Backup: http://www.jungledisk.com/

]]> By: johnmc http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-67 johnmc Sun, 05 Aug 2007 13:49:34 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-67 Ian, What Zonbu is selling is nothing but an Ewayco (TW) branded brick computer. And I do believe that model does have an IDE interface built in. But the key point is you can buy that model for $140 in single unit quantities. So you buy theirs, tweak a little code, use S3 at their publicly posted rate and use the difference to take dad out to dinner. Sounds like a win-win-win-win to me. Ian,

What Zonbu is selling is nothing but an Ewayco (TW) branded brick computer. And I do believe that model does have an IDE interface built in. But the key point is you can buy that model for $140 in single unit quantities. So you buy theirs, tweak a little code, use S3 at their publicly posted rate and use the difference to take dad out to dinner. Sounds like a win-win-win-win to me.

]]> By: Jonathan Ellis http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-63 Jonathan Ellis Sat, 04 Aug 2007 20:16:53 +0000 http://blog.ianbicking.org/2007/08/04/zonbu-s3/#comment-63 (A flat fee may not be as transparent as Amazon's pay-for-what-you-use, but consumers _like_ flat fees. Which Mozy found out by trial and error. The consumer broadband market is another example.) (A flat fee may not be as transparent as Amazon’s pay-for-what-you-use, but consumers like flat fees. Which Mozy found out by trial and error. The consumer broadband market is another example.)

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