And now it's time to say goodbye...
I shut down my Linode this morning. I'm waiting for all my DNS changes to propagate to my corner of the internet.
Once that happens and I complete my testing, all of my services will have been migrated to different VPSs at a different hosting provider. After that, I'll delete my Linode/block-storage. I'll delete my account and billing methods after the (new improved) bill shows up in my inbox.
Thus will end a 10-year relationship with Linode. I started with them using Ubuntu 12.04 ("Precise Pangolin"). Through the years, I migrated to Ubuntu 16.04, 18.04, Debian 10 and finally, back to my roots, FreeBSD. What a long strange trip it's been…
I have to say that it's been (mostly) an enjoyable trip. I learned a lot. In the last 18 months, mostly my education has been related to how to support an unsupported operating system (FreeBSD) and how to use/support an unsupported file system (ZFS).
I really didn't want to have to go. The 20% price increase with no concurrent offer of better services (or even the vague promise of the same) was just the last straw. When the Akamai acquisition was announced, I had hopes. When I was working, a couple of projects I was on had partnered with Akamai. They were a dream to work with. Now, it seems they're just another money-grubbing corporate overlord with a short-term focus on the bottom line. And so it goes…
Although the services at my new host aren't going to cost any less than Linode+price increase, I'm getting a bunch of improved services in return:
- FreeBSD (with support!);
- a private LAN that is also secure (without using a VPN);
- a Seattle data center (about half the distance from me than Linode's nearest data center…so smaller network latency);
- 4x the amount of block storage for the same amount of $$$;
- 2FA on account logins.
If Linode had offered the private LAN and the Seattle data center in return, I probably would have stayed.
Oh well… Akamai did this to themselves…and now it's time to say goodbye.
Best of luck to all of you.
-- sw
4 Replies
For those of us who have been around here for the past few years know that this is a H U G E loss for our community. The depth and breadth of Steve's knowledge of Unix-like systems along with his good-service of helping those of us who are less experienced will be missed in this venue.
I've also shut down my $50/mo. service because of the 20% rate interest with zero value for the additional cost. I too have moved to a different provider.
I am keeping my $5 instance so I'll still be around here from time to time.. and while my knowledge of systems is greater than some others here, bottom line my ability pales in comparison to Steve's.
He will be missed here, for sure.
For those of us who have been around here for the past few years know that this is a H U G E loss for our community
Indeed :(
I am keeping my $5 instance
Same. It would be nice if there were a cheaper shared 2 cpu option for added stability though. I don't need dedicated cpus because for my uses I wouldn't have high cpu usage most of the time, just 20% and some burst cpu usage at times for me. And I don't need much storage or RAM.
tlambert
Linode Staff
@stevewi - Hey Steve. I'm very sorry to hear that we weren't able to do enough to entice you to stay with us after such a long time. Like @acanton77 said, your contributions to this community over the last few years cannot be overstated. From answering questions for other users, to reporting issues with the site to the Support Team, you've been a resource not only for others in the community looking for help, but for Linode employees as well.
Obviously, we want you stay. But we also understand if making a move is the right choice for you. We'll certainly miss your insights here on the Community Questions site. Feel free to come back whenever you want!
Best of luck in the future.
"Obviously, we want you stay."
Explain to me just how raising rates by TWENTY PERCENT is in any way, shape, or form an invitation (much less a reason) to STAY with Linode.
You were a good company who valued your customers… and now you are a bad company that only values how much money you can extract from your customers.
You surely don't have to be a Linux systems guru on the order of Steve or myself to understand that.
You don't want 'us', the people who made your company grow and become successful, any longer.
We get it. The owners sold out, have become mega-wealthy, and have left the rest of us to twist slowly in the wind.
Many of us don't feel we were treated well and… well… we have options.
You (what is left of Linode management) would benefit from learning just a bit of Shakespeare…
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But in ourselves, that we are underlings.” (Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene III, L. 140-141).
Indeed you are now 'underlings' and indeed the fault is in yourselves, not us.