A server is just a computer that serves traffic from other computers. The rpi running pihole on my network is a server. My gaming desktop that doubles as a plex server sometimes is a server. The pfSense router managing my network is a server. The proxmox node that I have running a bunch of home utility and automation services is… you guessed it: a server.

You can find computers that are being essentially given away if you look for them online. Big companies clean out inventory all the time, and snagging old systems is not only cheap, but also helps to mitigate e-waste. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you need it to be, based on your budget and intended uses.

[–] xigoi@lemmy.sdf.org 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Sure, the computer itself is cheap, but it’s useless without having your own house where you have access to the router configuration.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

I can make some educated guesses about what you intend this to mean, but why don’t you explain it more in your own words?

[–] xigoi@lemmy.sdf.org 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

If you just buy a computer, you can run a Lemmy instance on it, but there will be no way to connect to it from outside your local network, making it pretty much useless. If you want it to work as an actual server, as far as I’m aware, you need to configure the router through which it’s connected to the internet to allow this.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

I have no idea what you’re trying to say with that statement.

Are you trying to snarkily explain that you need to connect a service to the internet in some fashion for it to be able to use the internet and interoperate with other services? Because… duh?

Are you trying to say that you need to pay an ISP or wireless provider to access the internet? Because that’s pretty tautological too.

Are you saying that you can’t get admin privileges such that you can customize DNS configurations on a network that you don’t have admin for? Because that’s best practice/by design.

[–] xigoi@lemmy.sdf.org 0 points 6 months ago (1 children)

All I’m trying to say is that if you don’t have the privilege of having configuration access to a network, you can’t “just” host an instance, contrary to your argument that anyone can host an instance for just a little money.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 2 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

And what I’m saying is that expecting to be given that level of access for free is obviously nonsense. Your argument is akin to being upset that you can’t do an engine-out service on a car because nobody will let you use their hydraulic lift for free. It’s a silly and nonsensical expectation to have, in the context.

The internet costs resources to operate, and you can’t reasonably expect to be given access to infrastructure and admin resources for free all the time. Not to mention, if it is “free” to you, you’re likely paying for it in another way that doesn’t involve money.