[erlang-questions] Any advice to a Java webhost company about Erlang hosting?

[Michael Turner]

On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 11:28 PM, Loïc Hoguin <essen@REDACTED> wrote:
> On 02/05/2014 02:28 PM, Michael Turner wrote:
>>>
>>> Pardon my ignorance but what does a Java hosting company do exactly
>>> compared to just getting a server?
>>
>>
>> I love it when people say "just" about things like this. I'd like to
>> get them slightly drunk and make them a bet: for every minute /under/
>> the amount they estimate that setup will take, I'll pay them $5. For
>> every minute /over/ their estimate, /I/ get $5. I'd probably be able
>> to retire early just by going to hacker meetups and offering to buy a
>> round for everybody at a bar nearby.
>
>
> Perhaps instead of trying to be a smartass you could actually have answered
> the question so people get a better idea what a Java hosting company
> actually does? Not everyone has Java production experience here.

Neither do I, actually. I was asking out of curiosity, since he did
mention this business problem.

The actual service is this:

  http://www.metawerx.net/

I don't even know if it's typical -- but he's in Australia, I'm in
Japan, and I like the rough time-zone alignment for purposes of
support.

> Hence my question. What do Java hosting companies do and what benefits do
> you have going with a company compared to doing it yourself?

It gives me access to someone who has long experience specializing in
something I know almost nothing about, and who apparently feels a
sense of obligation about making stuff work for his customers. I've
struggled with a couple of other hosting companies (on other tasks,
not Java-related) where tech support was wretchedly bad, from people
who were ignorant, ultimately leaving me to figure things out on my
own, and who tried to cover up their ignorance when it was pointed
out. This is, if nothing else, a refreshing change.

I'm sorry I gave such offense with my idea of how to make money from
techie overestimates of task completion times. You're welcome to use
it to make money yourself, since I have no business-model patent on
it. I'm sure you'll make at least $60 on your first night.

-michael turner