About this site

This site is Undyinglands.org.
Undyinglands.org is very much personal site of Anssi Salakka

Why Undyinglands.org?
I have been big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien since, late '70s. In '90s I had BBS called Undying Lands BBS. When people started to move from BBS's to Internet, I closed my BBS with an idea of creating WebBBS to continue from where Undying Lands BBS ended. It has been over two years since Undying Lands BBS was closed, but I haven't quite yet given up my dream :).

Since when?
I created my first personal site in February/March 1996. My own domain I registered when I got my ADSL line November 2000, but due to some problems with my ISP, it was not until May 2001, before you could actually contact undyinglands.org.

Why?
Well, why not, everyone else has their own sites, and their own domain. This site also serves as sandbox for my own experimentation, of course I could that just in home, but it is much more fun to do it in public. :)

Technics?
Earlier I have used mainly HTML 3.2, with some enchantments with Javascript and Anvil scripting. Currently I prefer to use XHTML and CSS2. Idea is to convert most of the pages with Java servlet technology, and put as much as possible to database. I have very much given up Javascript and Anvil scripting. There might be some javascript or Anvil script elements in older pages, my apologies.

Tools?
Since I am programmer, I prefer to write all HTML by myself. So I use mainly Emacs, or some other text-editors. For image manipulation and drawings I use mainly Photoshop. Photoshop is the only reason why I am using Windows for my web development. Small changes/updates I do directly from FreeBSD.

Software?
Jakarta Tomcat server and MySQL database, on top of FreeBSD 4-stable operating system. Because of security reasons, I prefer not to use Windows as server. I have tried Linux, but FreeBSD turned out to be more suitable for my needs.

Hardware?
processor: AMD Duron 1.2 ghz, memory 512+256+256 mb, harddisk: 4x40 gb, but currently only of them is at use. My raid capable motherboard started to having so weird IO-errors, so I had to downgrade to this duron-motherboard. :/
I have old Pentium 3 workstation with 500 mhz as my backup server. I try to take at least once a week full backup from my main server to this backup server.
I am currently looking to buy some Athlon 64 laptop to replace my main server. Idea is to get smaller and quiter server since I am always running low on space in my too small apartment. And of course my night guests (not that there are too many or too often them, but anyways...) are complaining my computer noises. Well, not really complaining, but I can see that they are not sleeping that well.

Connection?
ADSL 1024/384 kbps from Elisa Communications with internet services from Netsonic/AC-NET asennus OY.
I have been thinking of upgrading connection to something either around 2,3M/2,3M SDSL or 8M/1M fullrate ADSL. What I really want is better outside line, so that SDSL would be much better choise, but that 8M/1M fullrate ADSL would be cheaper.

Do you webhost?
Yes and no. I am currently webhosting sites that I have some connection with (like Dusk Club, where I used to be resident DJ...). If you want me to webhost your site, I might do so, BUT I can't host domains, since I don't have my own name server. Feel free to contact me with mail: postita at undyinglands dot org.

Idling at irc?
I have just opened my own irc channel at IRCnet, channel is surprisingly named as #undyinglands.org . I am currently idling there all alone, feel free to visit there.


What else?
Owls are not what they seem. And beauty lies within. If you look carefully, you might find things hidden and forgotten...