I just read a fascinating article titled “Google uncloaks once-secret server”.

It outlines the core infrastructure of how Google handles the hundreds of thousands of servers that uses.
Here is an excerpt of the article:

Most companies buy servers from the likes of Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, or Sun Microsystems. But Google, which has hundreds of thousands of servers and considers running them part of its core expertise, designs and builds its own. Ben Jai, who designed many of Google’s servers, unveiled a modern Google server before the hungry eyes of a technically sophisticated audience.

Google’s big surprise: each server has its own 12-volt battery to supply power if there’s a problem with the main source of electricity. The company also revealed for the first time that since 2005, its data centers have been composed of standard shipping containers–each with 1,160 servers and a power consumption that can reach 250 kilowatts.

Read the full story here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10209580-92.html

This post is a little off topic so please bear with me.

With all the recent commotion of the release of the iPhone 3G I thought I would share some of my thoughts on the matter.

Specifically as to why I am NOT going to rush out and buy one of these gadgets.

I know to many of you the arrival of the next generation iPhone is a wonderful moment that should be celebrated and shouted from the roof tops.

Sorry to say but I am not going to be sharing in your celebrations.

Here’s why:

1. The 16GB iPhone doesn’t have enough storage space.

I have an 80 GB video iPod that is full of music, videos, and audio books for the bus commute to and from work.

My video iPod also doubles as a backup hard drive when I need to transfer larges file between home and work.

2. My cheap Nokia cellphone works great and does everything I need.

I don’t really need another.

3. I have Internet almost everywhere I go.

There’s DSL at work and fiber optic at home. Much faster than the connection the iPhone 3G has.

4. I have a computer almost everywhere I am.

I much prefer my 19″ wide screen display to watch youtube vids err… I mean to do work… rather than a 3.5″ iPhone 3G display.

5. I am happy with my current cell provider and have no desire to pay a fee to get out of my current contract.

Why can’t the iPhone 3G work with my carrier?

6. Contrary to what the TV ads tell me, I don’t need to be more connected; I need to be a less connected.

I don’t need to be able to check my email, get the latest news from digg and slashdot and cnn money, update my facebook account, and add tweets to my twitter at all hours of the day. I really don’t. And neither do you.

In a world of information overload I have decided to go on a low information diet.

Yes I am one of those weirdos who actually turns off his cellphone at night. And I don’t check my work email on weekends.

Because of this I have never bought a crackberry and have no plan to purchase an iPhone 3G.

What are your thoughts?