Ethereum 2 Validator FAQs

FAQs related to my post Becoming an Ethereum Validator in 3 Steps

Q. Why Windows instead of Linux?
A. I don't like managing Linux. I like Windows

Q. Isn't Linux more secure?
A. Yes, but is Windows also secure enough? Yes

Q. Isn't Linux more stable?
A. Yes, but with some simple modifications, Windows is quite stable. I schedule a weekly reboot for Windows and the validator starts automatically. I'm ok with this work around. Others are not. Both OSs have tradeoffs. I'm willing to work with Windows' tradeoffs.

Q. People say Linux will be better supported by the client makers (i.e. Prysm, Lighthouse, etc.)
A. Not sure about this. Seems to me like client makers will have good support for any client that is used by a lot of validators. Also, for anything critical, they will support all clients as fast as possible.

Q. Can I run Windows on a raspberry PI?
A. No. Please don't do this. If you want to use a PI, use linux. It has a lighter footprint

Q. What machine did I use for validating?
A. Dell Vostro. Intel I5 CPU with 24GB RAM and 256GB harddrive. Could get away with less, but I didn't want to build a machine and I wanted quality parts with easy configuration. Vostro is a business class machine, so parts are better quality than consumer class. A lot of people were talking about Intel Nucs. I wanted something with a slightly larger profile so I could customize better. Nucs are cute, but very specialized. I like Dell as a brand, and again, Vostro is the cheapest business class unit.