# Technology...........sigh **URL:** \ **Category:** Chatting over the Back Fence\ **Created:** [March 7, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967 "2016-03-07T23:54:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![System1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/51bf81/32.png) [@System1](https://forums.suse.com/u/System1)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/1 "2016-03-07T23:54:11Z")
Well we are starting a project of replacing our core switch infrastructure for faster backbone connections between switches. First one we’re doing has an uptime of over 7 years, 40 weeks…sigh. We usually don’t ever get that type of uptime due to maintenance working on power, or power outages, etc, so this is pretty rare. – Stevo ---
**Author:** ![kgroneman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f1d935/32.png) [@kgroneman](https://forums.suse.com/u/kgroneman)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/2 "2016-03-08T16:57:27Z")
Hey Stevo: [color=blue] > over 7 years, 40 weeks[/color] I was a lot younger then. – Kim - 3/8/2016 7:56:54 AM ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/3 "2016-03-08T18:17:54Z")
kgroneman sounds like they ‘said’: [color=blue] > I was a lot younger then.[/color] So my response to kgroneman’s comment is… As was I, I was even in a previous decade of age ‘numbers’. – Stevo ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/4 "2016-03-09T17:43:26Z")
Stevo: Yes, that IS rare, considering that most areas have at least one power outage every few years, for one reason or another! 🙂 – Susan Novell Community Chat Moderator [http://forums.novell.com/faq.php?faq=novfor#faq\_rules](http://forums.novell.com/faq.php?faq=novfor#faq_rules) [https://www.facebook.com/groups/NCCIrregulars](https://www.facebook.com/groups/NCCIrregulars) Please read the following before posting in here: [http://preview.tinyurl.com/27zopdy](http://preview.tinyurl.com/27zopdy) ---
**Author:** ![laurabuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@laurabuckley](https://forums.suse.com/u/laurabuckley)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 9:36pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/5 "2016-03-09T21:36:01Z")
Hi Susan [color=blue] > considering that most areas have at least one > power outage every few years, for one reason or another![/color] This made me chuckle - where I live we have power outages called “Load Shedding”. Essentially the one and ONLY power supplier in South Africa has a schedule by which they turn power on and off by. During our winter months when demand is high the outages are two hours at a time twice a day according to their schedule. That’s not counting the 24 - 36 hours that you will sit without power everytime misguided individuals steal the power cables which, unfortunately, is a fairly regular occurance. All of our data centers and critical equipment are protected by massive diesel generators as UPS’s just aren’t enough. So, when we talk power outages… we look at our wrist watches and not the calendar 😉 Cheers, – Laura Buckley Technical Consultant IT Dynamics, South Africa ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below… laurabuckley’s Profile: [https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122](https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122) View this thread: [https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231](https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231) ---
**Author:** ![kgroneman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f1d935/32.png) [@kgroneman](https://forums.suse.com/u/kgroneman)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/6 "2016-03-09T22:25:37Z")
Hey laurabuckley: [color=blue] > So, when we > talk power outages… we look at our wrist watches and not the > calendar[/color] The more you tell us about where you live, the more I’m hoping your birth certificate mess can be fixed. And to think: South Africa is one of the most, if not the most advanced country on the entire continent. – Kim - 3/9/2016 1:23:17 PM ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/7 "2016-03-09T23:55:26Z")
Good grief, Laura, that must be fun to have to work around in IT. I can understand the need for large generators with such a reality. When I was in Hawaii, we had a power outage in our area, usually of very short duration, about once a month, and we had a small power plant right across the street! When I first move to Hawaii in 1970, the phone system was pretty interesting. It must have been quite old. You would dial a number, and get someone on the entire opposite side of the island, with a different exchange than you’d dialed, on a fairly regular basis. I referred to it as telephone roulette. You never knew when you’d get some complete stranger, but you knew it would happen fairly often! How do individual homes deal with those kinds of outages, especially with the weather down there? I’d imagine even a couple of hours of no power would soften the ice cream in the freezer. Does everyone have a standby generator? 🙂 – Susan Novell Community Chat Moderator [http://forums.novell.com/faq.php?faq=novfor#faq\_rules](http://forums.novell.com/faq.php?faq=novfor#faq_rules) [https://www.facebook.com/groups/NCCIrregulars](https://www.facebook.com/groups/NCCIrregulars) Please read the following before posting in here: [http://preview.tinyurl.com/27zopdy](http://preview.tinyurl.com/27zopdy) ---
**Author:** ![laurabuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@laurabuckley](https://forums.suse.com/u/laurabuckley)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 9:16am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/8 "2016-03-10T09:16:01Z")
Hey Kim, Our government would try make you believe that South Africa is a first world country - they lie! As for my birth certificate, well that could take another year to two years to sort out ☹ Hopefully I have it by the time I can apply for Maltese citizenship in three years time! I live in hope 😉 Cheers, – Laura Buckley Technical Consultant IT Dynamics, South Africa ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below… laurabuckley’s Profile: [https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122](https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122) View this thread: [https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231](https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231) ---
**Author:** ![laurabuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@laurabuckley](https://forums.suse.com/u/laurabuckley)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/9 "2016-03-10T09:46:01Z")
Hi Susan, Many folk in the more affluent areas have had generators installed. With the demand for generators being so great the price of them has nearly trippled putting them out of reach for the average, middle-income households. Don’t get me started on the fact that unemployment figures sit at nearly 30% and that the vast majority of our population live below the bread line ☹ Being a bit of a camper I’m quite equipped to do without electricity for periods of time. I just get out my little camping stove, solar powered lanterns, etc. I have also become very used to cold showers. I grew up on a subsistance farm where power was a luxury only turned on at critical times so I’m not really phased by load shedding. Having said that, the city-slickers who have grown up without ever having to deal with power outages like those that have hit us in the past few years have no idea how to adapt and sit around grumbling and being grumpy. Adapt or die I say. Businesses like restuarants have installed generators and make a fortune by being able to trade during power outages. Those that can afford to simply go out for dinner! Unfortunately smaller businesses have gone out of business because of not being able to put in generators - hurting our economy and unemployment issues. South Africa is on the brink of a recession with our projected economic growth to be below 1% this year. Our government, in their wisdom, are building coal-powered, steam-turbine power stations. Disasterous for the environment. With our drought we don’t have enough water for these power stations to even operate at capacity. Now they are trying to get the Russians to build nuclear power stations at the cost of hundreds of billions essentially bankrupting what’s left of our economy. Clever indeed - NOT! With our severe drought water restrictions have been implemented in the most effected areas. Where I live a warning has been issued that water restrictions are going to be implemented within the next month or so meaning that our water supply is going to be turned off for several hours a day in order to force folk to use less water. Again not a big deal for me, but a shocker for those who have never had to deal with water shortages before. It is also estimated that we are going to have to import approximately 600 million tons (metric) of maize this year. Considering that our currency has lost nearly 40% of it’s value against the US dollar in the recent times (roughly the last year) you can imagine what this is going to do to our food prices. Our inflation rate is already sitting at about 5%. I live in interesting times, in an interesting country. And people wonder why I am immigrating within the next few years once I can get my paperwork sorted out. Every country has it’s issues. No country is perfect. But some are by far better to live in than others 😉 So, enough of my moaning and complaining for today. I now endevour to go forth into my day with a positive outlook and find new ways to adapt to whatever it is that comes my way today 🙂 Cheers, – Laura Buckley Technical Consultant IT Dynamics, South Africa ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below… laurabuckley’s Profile: [https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122](https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122) View this thread: [https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231](https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/uploads/suse/original/2X/5/5012ba89e3ffb5220dac47d5ea0ba032e2fe1cb6.png) [@system](https://forums.suse.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 4:18pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/10 "2016-03-10T16:18:26Z")
Laura: You certainly have the pioneer spirit, and it sounds like, with the way things are going down there, that you need it! Good grief, I had no idea things were that bad in South Africa. You’d think they’d be all over solar power. Dealing with both electrical and water droughts is pretty challenging. You have my admiration for doing so with aplomb. When we had a very large fire nearby recently (70,000 acres), we lost power because the fire took out a power sub-station that fed the area, not to mention most of the poles and all of the wires. John had previously acquired a large power converter, and we were able to turn on the Prius and plug into it, to use as a generator. The Prius turns itself on and off, as needed, to recharge its batteries. We already had a 1500 watt backup battery, with an extra battery in a series on it, so between that and the Prius, we were able to run the refrigerator for an hour at a time, then recharge the backup battery with the Prius, and run the TV, internet, tablets, a small heater and the phone with the Prius. I’ve never been so happy to have a specific make and model of car in my life! That kept us going for the four days or so that it took our power company to truck in a dozen HUGE container-sized generators that they set up in town to bring power back to those of us that hadn’t been forced to evacuate because of the fire. The morning after the fire started, I went into town and bought many bottles of water, just in case the outage lasted long enough that the reservoir tank of the well pump was depleted, and we managed to get by fine, but you could feel the cheers throughout the area when the electricity went back on the fifth night. We waited long enough for the water to heat up again and took a shower, just in case the power went off again! I’ve had to take a couple of cold showers due to power outages, and the fewer the better, for me. LOL I hope you’re able to get your paperwork sorted out soon! It sounds like leaving and moving to somewhere a bit more financially sound is a great idea! – Susan Novell Community Chat Moderator [http://forums.novell.com/faq.php?faq=novfor#faq\_rules](http://forums.novell.com/faq.php?faq=novfor#faq_rules) [https://www.facebook.com/groups/NCCIrregulars](https://www.facebook.com/groups/NCCIrregulars) Please read the following before posting in here: [http://preview.tinyurl.com/27zopdy](http://preview.tinyurl.com/27zopdy) ---
**Author:** ![kgroneman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f1d935/32.png) [@kgroneman](https://forums.suse.com/u/kgroneman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/11 "2016-03-10T17:29:20Z")
Hey laurabuckley: [color=blue] > the city-slickers who have grown up without ever having to deal > with power outages like those that have hit us in the past few years > have no idea how to adapt and sit around grumbling and being grumpy.[/color] Yes we do. [color=blue] > Where I live a warning has been issued that water > restrictions are going to be implemented within the next month or so > meaning that our water supply is going to be turned off for several > hours a day in order to force folk to use less water.[/color] Around here, _severe_ water restrictions means we have to alternate days we can water our gardens…and people get angry about that! - “I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet” – Kim - 3/10/2016 8:18:16 AM ---
**Author:** ![kgroneman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f1d935/32.png) [@kgroneman](https://forums.suse.com/u/kgroneman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/12 "2016-03-10T17:37:05Z")
Have you considered a solar option? I use it camping all the time. When I go camping I take a 50 watt solar panel, with a battery/inverter pack to connect to it (I have it connected to more solar panels and more batteries when I’m home, just as an emergency measure). We also have a solar oven for cooking we use camping, and in the summer at home so we don’t have to heat up our house. Nevermind…living where you do, it would probably get stolen. :-\ – Kim - 3/10/2016 8:31:54 AM ---
**Author:** ![laurabuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@laurabuckley](https://forums.suse.com/u/laurabuckley)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/13 "2016-03-10T20:36:01Z")
Hi Kim, Yes I have considered solar… ZAR35K just to put my geyser onto solar! Oh, I would also need a new roof to support the panels and I was quoted ZAR150K for that! That’s as far as my consideration went I’m afraid ☹ Solar panels and the other stuff that go with them are frightfully expensive - or else I’m just not paid enough - chuckle. Cheers, – Laura Buckley Technical Consultant IT Dynamics, South Africa ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below… laurabuckley’s Profile: [https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122](https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122) View this thread: [https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231](https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231) ---
**Author:** ![laurabuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@laurabuckley](https://forums.suse.com/u/laurabuckley)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/14 "2016-03-10T20:46:01Z")
Hi Kim, WHAAAAAT… you water your gardens??? I harvest the “grey” water from my washing machine to do that. I’ve learnt to harvest and reuse my water at every turn. My monthly household water consumpution is under 3 Kilolitres. This has an upside to it… my water bill is incredibly low 😉 I’ve gone so far as to put tap-locks onto all my external taps to prevent water theft. Yes, even water gets stollen here! Just some food for thought… – Laura Buckley Technical Consultant IT Dynamics, South Africa ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below… laurabuckley’s Profile: [https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122](https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122) View this thread: [https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231](https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231) ---
**Author:** ![laurabuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@laurabuckley](https://forums.suse.com/u/laurabuckley)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/15 "2016-03-10T20:56:01Z")
Hi Susan, I do recall the posts here when you experienced that terrible fire in your area. I was so relieved that you were, relatively, alright. Events like these tend to make us view things in a different light, that we shouldn’t take things for granted as we never know when we will have to do without essentials such as water. Take care of yourself. – Laura Buckley Technical Consultant IT Dynamics, South Africa ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below… laurabuckley’s Profile: [https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122](https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122) View this thread: [https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231](https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231) ---
**Author:** ![kgroneman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f1d935/32.png) [@kgroneman](https://forums.suse.com/u/kgroneman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 11:20pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/16 "2016-03-10T23:20:49Z")
Yes, I admit we waste water (well, do you ever really WASTE water?) I live in the 2nd driest state in the U.S. and we’ve got more water than you. I suspect it’s not your water sources, but your delivery system that’s the problem, right? – Kim - 3/10/2016 2:19:06 PM ---
**Author:** ![kgroneman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f1d935/32.png) [@kgroneman](https://forums.suse.com/u/kgroneman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 11:18pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/17 "2016-03-10T23:18:44Z")
Hey laurabuckley: [color=blue] > we shouldn’t take things for granted as we never know when we will > have to do without essentials such as water.[/color] I’ve got 3-50 gallon (190 liters each) barrels full of drinking water in my house and one outside to catch rain water. I also live close to some springs and have 2 springs on my mountain property. I’m not going to thirst to death! – Kim - 3/10/2016 2:15:31 PM ---
**Author:** ![kgroneman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f1d935/32.png) [@kgroneman](https://forums.suse.com/u/kgroneman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2016, 11:27pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/18 "2016-03-10T23:27:29Z")
I have 2 of these connected to some batteries and an inverter. Not all that expensive. It’s enough to keep my refrigerater running for a while, depending on the weather. [http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/](http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Volts-Monocrystalline-Solar/dp/B009Z6CW7O/) – Kim - 3/10/2016 2:26:05 PM ---
**Author:** ![laurabuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@laurabuckley](https://forums.suse.com/u/laurabuckley)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 7:26am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/19 "2016-03-11T07:26:01Z")
Hi Kim, The dam that feeds our area is below 20% - severe drought I’m afraid. The delivery system in the area where I live is fairly consistant, but I can’t say the same for the more rural areas. There folk don’t even have water delivery to their homes. They often have to walk as much as 5 km to fill up buckets of water for their daily use ☹ And the government wonders why these folk embark on “Service Delivery” protests - often getting violent. I don’t condone violence and destruction of property but I do understand and empathize with their frustration with non-delivery after all the huge promises made to them. Cheers, – Laura Buckley Technical Consultant IT Dynamics, South Africa ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below… laurabuckley’s Profile: [https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122](https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122) View this thread: [https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231](https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231) ---
**Author:** ![laurabuckley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@laurabuckley](https://forums.suse.com/u/laurabuckley)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 7:46am UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967/20 "2016-03-11T07:46:01Z")
Hi Kim, Thanks for that. Amazon don’t ship that type of thing to South Africa - would never get passed customs. Here’s something similar that is locally available: [http://www.takealot.com/ecoficiency-foldable-150w-solar-panel-kit-silver-black/PLID40891031](http://www.takealot.com/ecoficiency-foldable-150w-solar-panel-kit-silver-black/PLID40891031) Look at the price - way out of reach for mere mortals such as myself I’m afraid ☹ Cheers, – Laura Buckley Technical Consultant IT Dynamics, South Africa ## If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface, please show your appreciation and click on the star below… laurabuckley’s Profile: [https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122](https://forums.novell.com/member.php?userid=122) View this thread: [https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231](https://forums.novell.com/showthread.php?t=497231) [Next page](https://forums.suse.com/t/technology-sigh/27967.md?page=2)