I don't get it... Why get a cobalt RaQ over a normal linux dedicated server? What are their useful functions?

(Sorry if this is a n00b question... I've never learned about raq's before)

http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=214200

I remember posting in that and I still don't get it.

Times have changed z280 (ha I remember using a Spectrum z80 once...)

Tell us what you are using now, if it's much faster and better, then it's prob not worth to switch to a Raq.

I for one wish I had more Raqs, quite reliable, stable, idiot proof etc...

If you asked the question 3 or 4 years ago, the answer would be valid since the RAQ, like it or not, made dedicated web hosting easier for the masses. It comes with a neat control panel which works and patches are done through one click. Most of the time you do not need to bother about SSHing into the server.

Of course, the time for the RaQ has passed, what it offered is now being offered by others and they cost much less. It seems that ever since SUN bought it over, it began its path to the end.

Still I find that the RaQs are very good work horses.
But of course I don't suggest that you use it to offer any commercial based hosting or things like that.

It can handle 1 or 2 heavy sites per box but anything more than that would be a hazard.
Now they are cheap and cost effective if you just need to host your own sites from it and if you know how to balance the loads.
Then it would be a perfect machine as its simple and easy to manage.

But if you give it to someone that is a complete "nut" to these things he would tend to kill it in less than a day... ( which goes for any other modern day machine )

Well.... all in all... it may just be my strong personal liking for these little blue boxes :P But it seems frustrating when the idea that SUN bought Cobalt just to "kill" it... :(