TimeSquirrel

Never experienced Slackware so I can’t compare, sorry. When I got into Linux in like, 2002, I was using Mandrake before they died, and didn’t hear much of Slackware at the time.

I had a friend that was a couple years older that was running it on a home web server though. Back when people ran home web servers. This dude would sit there and use the keyboard the entire time even in OSes like Windows, he memorized every goddamn shortcut and macro that exists. Had a dusty mouse next to his system almost never being used. Probably just to satisfy the BIOS self test.

I use it because it feels like the most Linux-ey of Linuxes (Linuxii??). I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s like, no bullshit, just Linux. Here’s the Lego pieces, go have fun.

You misspelled Windows 3.11 for Workgroups.

tada.wav 4eva

Well, despite its owner, SpaceX is actually doing cool and useful stuff. Nobody else bothered with the reusable rocket thing until they made it happen. Starship is on the way to becoming the world’s first 100% reusable orbital transport system, propulsively landing the second stage as well as the first. Soon as they get those toasty melty flaps figured out.

It just sucks that he’s in control of it.

We had remote starters in the 80s, they didn’t need Internet access, they were a completely local wireless solution, just like old wireless garage door openers.

Whoa, did I happen to miss something 30 years ago? What did they do?

The systemd debate is basically dead.

But the Super Nintendo vs. Sega Genesis/Megadrive debate rages on.

With me, I started applying at electronic security companies 20 years ago as a helper to pull cable and hang cameras, the simpler, more labor intensive stuff. They are always looking for people like that as the older folks like me go more into the head end set up and programming because our bodies hurt too much 😁. I learned 90% of what I know from on the job training, the rest I already had sort of a background in electronics because of my personal hobbies.

Nope, never will set foot in one. If the Cybertruck and similar future vehicles were under strict regulations and maintenance schedules like what the FAA does for airliners, which are also fly by wire, then I might consider it. Right now all I have to go on is trusting Elon’s company and his engineers directly. And they seem to just be wanting to create a flashy cell phone on wheels full of gimmicks, not any sort of dependable vehicle.

What’s the backup for when the cams burn out or the screen goes kaput while you’re going 70mph? All those electronic systems in modern cars have backups. If power steering goes out, you can still turn the wheel with increased effort. If backup cam goes out, you have rear view mirrors. If the brakes fail, you have a manual cable-driven e-brake.

I don’t trust man-made technology as far as I can throw it. I want redundancy.

What sort of automation specifically are you referring to? I work in commercial building automation, which is basically tying various systems like fire/burg alarms, access control, energy/lighting management, intercoms, and everything else together using TCP/IP networking, RS-232/485, and dry-contact relay triggers everywhere. For instance, unlocking all doors and stopping elevator access when the fire alarm goes off. Or automatically disarming a burglar alarm and turning on the lights when the first person in the morning scans their badge. In that sense, it works great and has been working for decades.

If you mean robots taking all our jobs, yeah that’s about 100 years out.

Well, that teaches me to read AND click all links in an article.

Yeah, nobody in class is going to suspect the kid with the arduino-type science project mess of wires duct taped to their calculator.

For those too lazy to read, that’s how this works. An external micro controller talks to the calc through the IO port, and does the Wifi stuff, acting as a middleman.

Edit: I did not see the video.

If I did that half my neighbors would own my devices in a week because they like transmitting open access points for setup purposes. I just connect them anyway and then just block them from outbound access at the router if I want to restrict them. That way I can be sure. Then I can use my Homeassistant server to control them from behind the firewall locally if they have that capability.

Yeah but with Steam Deck you’re not forced to use it. It’s an unlocked x86-64 compatible handheld PC. Install whatever you want.

No, it’s great. It means you can make it do anything. You misconstrue my meaning.

You don’t even have it game on it if you don’t want to. Use it as a server 😂

Other portable console makers: proprietary shit, locked down OSes, DRM embedded in the device at boot, custom/strange architectural choices, walled gardens

Valve: eh, put a fuckin’ normal ass gaming PC in a tiny box with joysticks and call it a day.

I’m not sure that word means what you think it means, Elon. Regulating scam sites is a pretty typical government thing.

Exactly, that means it hasn’t infected my entire system and is constantly connected and phoning home about my computer usage and browsing habits all day. I can just play Skifree and Minesweeper and not worry about a damn thing.

It’s hard to overcome the Hurd problem though. Although it would be fascinating to see how it would diverge on the design of the Linux kernel. How much can you still act like Linux while not being Linux? Or would it just be a direct algorithmic translation, basically doing the same processes under the hood with the same architecture? I’m sure there’s more than a few things Linux is doing in C that the Rust compiler would frown upon.