Member OP
Simple poll bro. I here since 2019 and I still open every deal thread. Important question: why? My server down right now actually but I reading deals instead of fixing. Since three hours. Vote honest bro.
Pro tip: I do both, but with a system.
Heads up: Oracle Cloud free tier ARM instances still cap at 4 instances per tenancy. I have 3. The entertainment value of "could I use this" costs me nothing. The buying costs me time I could spend on actual migrations.
I track my ratio. In Q1 2026, I read 23 deal threads and purchased 1. That is 4.3% conversion. The entertainment value is measurable: it keeps me aware of market pricing for my 2027 budget forecast. My recommendation: maintain a spreadsheet. Column A for provider, Column B for specs, Column C for "entertainment only" checkbox. Review quarterly.
Member
I read them to feel poor then feel smart for not buying.
Member
Right then, I'll be honest with you lads. I run a Time4VPS and I read these threads for the sheer terror of seeing what proper madlads will sell for. Entertainment? It's masochism, pure and simple. 🦡 Then again, seeing someone flog a dedi for less than my power bill does focus the mind on efficiency, so perhaps it's professional development after all.
Entertainment with a purpose! I read every deal thread to check if anyone mentions backup pricing. Spoiler: they almost never do. Did you test your restore on that last impulse buy? The 3-2-1 rule still applies to $2.50 specials. Three copies, two media, one offsite. Even entertainment needs a safety net.
Three hours not fixing? Relatable.
Oracle ARM cap still 4? What core count per instance.
4 OCPUs, 24 GB RAM each on the Ampere A1. You can shape them as 1+1+1+1 or 4+0+0+0, whatever splits to 4 total instances. I run two 2-OCPU and two 1-OCPU shapes. The prayer is for the always-free renewal every year.
4 instances at 4 OCPU each is 16 cores of ARM sitting in Ashburn or Frankfurt while I am in Singapore. Latency is 280ms. Free is free but edge it is not. I tried Oracle Cloud Singapore region once, they provisioned me there, still 180ms to my flat. Entertainment for sure.
