destroytoday.com now running on Linode VPS
Now that destroytoday.com runs on Jekyll, there are two sets of files—source and destination. Source, in my case, consists of HAML, SASS, CoffeeScript, and Maruku files. They are converted into HTML, CSS, and JS—the destination files. When checking into Git, I would commit both sets so Beanstalk could deploy the destination files. This means changing a single source file results in a commit of potentially dozens of files and a nightmare of a changelist.
I decided to improve the process a bit by investing in a Linode virtual private server—a setup without restrictions. This weekend, I was able to configure a system that builds the destination files in the background whenever I push to Git. There goes the need for Beanstalk, saving me another monthly bill to pay, and by installing Git and Gitosis, I get unlimited collaborators and repos free of charge.
With Linode, I also get root access, so I can pretty much do anything I want without waiting on anyone to set something up for me. I choose the OS and partition size, then, with a single click, I have a server. If I ever need to reboot the server, I can with the press of a button. Even if I’m on the go, I can use the Linode Manager iPhone app to check the server status and reboot if I need to. I’ve never had this level of freedom with a host before. If you’re in the market for a new host, take a look at Linode—they know what they’re doing.
