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.