Need some tech ideas, creative and technical (what to do with what I have)

[The Straight Story]

ok, I have several servers running or soon to be running (detailed below) and would like some input and ideas with what would be good to do with them (other then things I note below). DU is a creative bunch so I am tossing this out to get your ideas.

Systems, Usage planned (if any):
1. Compaq dl380g2, 36 gigs raid 1+0, 4 36 gig drives raid 5, 2 processors, 2 gig ram. Current primary plans - get new video card (pci-e) and use as a graphics workhorse (adobe, et al) and a small mssql 2000 data base. Maybe some games, running XP.

2. Sun e450, 20 hd, 36 gig each. Current use - personal and web server. 4 processors, 2 gig ram. Hosts 3 web names (apache on solaris 8).

Now the new ones I have to implement and need some input on:
3. Sun e450, 12 hd, 36 gig each. 4 processors, solaris 10.
4. Sun 420r, 2 hd, 36 gig each, 2 processors, 2 gig ram, solaris 10.
5. Compaq Proliant 8000, 8 processors, 10 hd (36 gig), external fiber array with 10 36 gig drives. 2000 advanced server.
6. Two sparc workstations running solaris 8.
7. Soon to have, about 2 terabytes external storage (all 36 gig scsi 3 drives, as are most of my others).

Most my plans revolve around data bases and coding for number theory but with so much power and space I am looking for other ideas (and will be adding a second cable modem from another company soon). I am working on some web crawlers in perl for some things, and an image server. But being the somewhat close minded geek I am I sometimes don't see the best use for some things. Just looking for ideas and suggestions as such things help me get the mind kicking.

One idea I came up with was an image server for du'ers and a data base system to track news and politics. I want to share what I have (and am getting more then listed above) but I am so focused on personal uses for systems I wanted to get input from others on how I can use these things.

What Would DU'ers do? Is there a way I can use this storage and power to help you an others? I was blessed with these and other systems (due to my job) so I want to share and do something to help people other then myself, suggestions?

Thank you for your input, and if you need personal space get with me. Should have everything online and running first week of August, if you need something in meantime ask me - free space and help to my fellow DU'ers!

[bemildred]

1. Free web space.

Free mail and or shell accounts (with SSH prefereably).
Archival storage of this or that.
Free anonymous proxy.
Free anonymous remailer.
You will need to control access, I would imagine, so as not to be overwhelmed with porn.

The DU glossary could use a home, for example.

Uses for the horsepower would be more esoteric and application specific, I think, although web traversal thingys or various sorts come to mind, simulations, graphics rendering, encryption.

[The Straight Story]

2. rendering is cool

Thought about a rendering farm for pov-ray. The DU glossary is a cool idea! As far as access, I would use perl to look at things and report to me information. Thanks for the great ideas!

My main websites will be devoted to my mom (who passed 12/31/2004) and some documents on my personal page for solaris and data bases. I was thinking too about a web server for photos where people could just email an address and it would auto-upload their photos and reply back with the URL. I dunno, just tossing around some thoughts.

[bemildred]

3. Sorry about your Mom. I still miss mine, and it's been a long time now,

I have a copy of the glossary, I don't know if it's up to date.
There is a copy in the Demopedia too, so maybe that's not such a burning issue.

[bemildred]

4. I was just thinking and RSS News server could be cool.

Something like this:

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/newsfeed/?name=Iraq

[The Straight Story]

5. awesome idea!

Thanks, bookmarked that site and checking out some rss sites.

[Ready4Change]

6. CPU time for SETI@home?

[Angry Girl]

7. A StumbleUpon-like DU collaborative/communication tool

Have you checked out http://www.StumbleUpon.com?

You need Firefox first (shame on you if you're using MS Exploder!).

Next go get the StumbleUpon extension. Then take a few hours to explore the SU network. Imagine a similar DU network. You could probably even incorporate security hierarchies and different levels of forums and use it as an organizational activist tool. The founders may be sympathetic.

[cprise]

8. Climate Prediction - distributed computing project

(see my signature)

Supports Windows, Linux x86 and Mac OS X. If you need more flexible platform choices, have a look here:

http://boinc.berkeley.edu/