On Mon, Dec 31, 2007 at 01:00:24AM +0100, chefren wrote:
quoted text
> On 12/29/07 5:27 PM, Douglas A. Tutty wrote:
> 
> >Summary:
> >
> >I still suggest a heartbeat monitor and a modem.
> 
> A heartbeat monitor makes the system seriously more complicated and thus 
> less reliable.
> 
> If the proposed system boots from a non writable medium (yes there are 
> flash devices with a write-protect switch, CD-rom is also OK although dust 
> collection on the laser detector is an issue) and works in memory, 
> diskless!, unintended log events will be written to memory (that might 
> overflow but who cares for this application) and the system always boots 
> the same after power up.

How does that help if the computer just crashes or freezes instead of
just spontaneously rebooting?  Sure, there's the version 0.0.1 Human to
push a power button.

Presumably, one can get solid reliable RS-232C heartbeat monitors that
can trigger a power-cycle.  If not, they're not that difficult to make
assuming that you can source some reliable parts.  

I totally agree with the non-writable medium issue.

Doug.