* Posts by Col_Panek

335 publicly visible posts • joined 13 Aug 2013

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UN: E-waste is growing 5x faster than it can be recycled

Col_Panek

I, for one, welcome

... the buying of new gadgets, especially computers. I used to buy refurbs for around $200, but now I get free ones that are just fine for what we need to do. Nothing more pleasurable than erasing Windows from a hard drive.

Col_Panek

We just had two Motorola phones die because of bad (swelling) batteries. They were only 5 years old but did everything we needed to do. I'm exploring plugged-in jobs for them.

Col_Panek

Re: We don't hear you, the money is talking too loud

I had an eMachine but it had an evil NVidia video that was always hassling my Linux Mint. Glad to find another (free) machine.

Year of Linux on the desktop creeps closer as market share rises a little

Col_Panek

Re: Linux is not major depression friendly

Linux Mint is friendly to this laptop, a 2013 model Chromebook Pixel with touch screen. I dunno about being depression friendly but it cheers me up.

Belgian ale legend Duvel's brewery borked as ransomware halts production

Col_Panek
Devil

They don't call it duivel for nothing.

Going green Hertz: Rental giant axes third of EV fleet over lack of demand

Col_Panek

That's when they normally sell cars. The ones I've looked at had even more miles. And they weren't much cheaper than new ones, with the rebates.

Ford pulls the plug on EV strategy as losses pile up

Col_Panek

Ever is a long time. Right now you can buy an old Leaf and drive to work gasless.

Col_Panek

Re: Spent Batteries

But they cost £20000?

Mozilla slams Microsoft for using dark patterns to drive Windows users toward Edge

Col_Panek

Re: "with the added trust of Microsoft"

I feel for you. I haven't used any Microsoft products in ten years, except my backup laptop's mouse.

The FCC wants to criminalize AI robocall spam

Col_Panek

Re: "To anyone using half their brain"

Remember that chicken who lived passably after his head was cut off? I might write in his name for President.

LockBit shows no remorse for ransomware attack on children's hospital

Col_Panek

Re: This might be...

But using hydrogen sulfide instead of nitrogen.

Top Linux distros drop fresh beats

Col_Panek

Re: Preparing for October 2025

Those people could use Chromebooks. I don't mean necessarily should, but can, and enjoy Google's version of Linux without the Microsoft hassles.

Next stop is to de-Google, run a pure Linux, and be free. I have, for the last 5 years.

How to deorbit the Chromebook... and repurpose it for innovators

Col_Panek

Re: It wasn't hard once

I use Mint Cinnamon on my 2013 Pixel, with 4 GB RAM. What really sucks up the memory are heavy browsers, and I use Firefox. Just gotta mind the tabs open but still it can get bogged down.

Col_Panek

Re: School IT Directors Thoughts

A coworker died unexpectedly and I helped clean out his cellar full of good stuff. 3 racks of which was an HP 2100 computer with its toggle switches and punched tape drive. I called up a computer museum and they said well we have rooms of them but if you mail it to us we'll try to find a place for it.......which didn't happen.

Chromebooks are problematic for profits and planet, says Lenovo exec

Col_Panek

Re: Chromebooks

I started with GalliumOS, which was optimized for Chromebooks. The project has stalled, but the website contains a lot of good info on de-Googling your Chromebook.

I then went to Kubuntu, which ran OK except for the sound. There was an issue with headphones not cutting off the speakers, or something. Nowadays I run Mint, which installed and ran just like any other machine. But I remapped the function buttons to my liking.

Col_Panek

Re: Bad for the environment?

I hope you're wrong about the 10 year lifespan, because I use my 2013 Pixel all the time. It runs Linux Mint 21.2.

HP printer software turns up uninvited on Windows systems

Col_Panek

Funny, I don't seem to have it on my Chromebook, which runs Linux Mint. But I do have an antique HP LaserJet.

Car dealers openly beg Biden to put brakes on electric vehicle drive

Col_Panek

Re: American ULEZs incoming (in Democrat states).

Here in New York, they spread car solvent on the roads from November to April (Syracuse is nicknamed the Salt City) so putting a lot of money into a steel car is a bad proposition. The junkyards are full of good drivetrains surrounded by crumbling Ferrous oxide.

Col_Panek

Re: The problem is unchanged

"The minute a manufacturer produces an EV that can go the same distance as an ICE vehicle, AND be recharged in the same amount of time it takes to get a soda at a convenience store, THEN you will see the mass migration to EVs."

There will always be those who swear they pull a boat for 1000 miles without stopping, uphill, and they're allergic to electrons. What they really mean is, it's the Democrats forcing everyone to buy efficient, non-polluting cars so therefore they are evil.

Col_Panek

Re: Who wants a second hand EV?

Does a £500 diesel car actually run? In the USA you'd be lucky if it was $5000.

Firefox slow to load YouTube? Just another front in Google's war on ad blockers

Col_Panek

If he got 15 years out of a T shirt, that is probably acceptable.

Nukes, schmukes – fuel cells could power future datacenters

Col_Panek

That's right! All you can use for millions of years, for free.

Just need a pipeline to the sun.

IBM sells off cloud business – yes, we mean Weather.com

Col_Panek

I've used Weather Underground (https://www.wunderground.com/) for decades because they have a graph which shows the weather for the next ten days so I don't have to look at a list of numbers and try to figure out the humidity, %POP, temp, etc. As for ads, what ads? My blockers work just fine.

Israel and Italy have cheapest mobile data out of 237 countries

Col_Panek

Re: Yes, but.

Well, goats then.

95% of NFTs now totally worthless, say researchers

Col_Panek

Re: oh wow, such a shock.

"Well, I didn't see that coming." --Stevie Wonder

Why Chromebooks are the new immortals of tech

Col_Panek

Re: Repair

My ten year old Chromebook Pixel is down to about two hours of battery. Could be worse.

Col_Panek

Re: Well there's another angle

This is sad news. Now they will hang on to them longer and jack up the price because they're not "obsolete".

My best laptop is a 2013 Chromebook Pixel (list price $100) that I got just off lease for $200. I went through GalliumOS and Kubuntu, but It runs Mint best.

Col_Panek

Re: In-law support is awesome!

Next best thing to running a real Linux, which you (or your kinfolk) can do on an ex-Windows machine without selling your soul to Google.

Google promises eternity of updates for Chromebooks – that's a decade for everyone else

Col_Panek

Mine's a 2013 model Pixel, and runs the latest Linux Mint.

Missing Titan sub likely destroyed in implosion, no survivors

Col_Panek

Re: Have no fears

"God himself could not sink this ship!"

Florida man insists he didn't violate the law by keeping Top Secret docs

Col_Panek
Windows

Re: I can finally admit something

They were safely locked in the trunk of his Corvette.

UK warned not to bother racing US, EU on EV subsidies

Col_Panek

Re: Batteries

In 'Murica, we listen to anti-EV FUD on Fox News. Same bullshit, less slurred speech.

Ubuntu 23.04 welcomes three more flavors, but hamburger menus leave a bad taste

Col_Panek

Re: Stop the KDE and Gnome trains, I want to get off

I use MX with KDE* because I like it. Don't judge.

*Yeah, I know it's years old but the new version is coming.

When it comes to Linux distros, one person's molehill is another's mountain

Col_Panek

You could use MX with the KDE desktop and get a speed boost. Just sayin'.

Col_Panek

Re: The rise of "It just works"

Look in the back of the AARP magazine and you'll see "Senior Computers" advertised. "So simple to use, and carefree, etc." Yup, Linux based, of course.

Despite being a retired vacuum tube engineer, people ask me about PC problems. My standard answer now is "I Don't Do Windows" but I'll install Linux for them. If they "need" a new computer, I steer them toward a Chromebook, which usually does the job for them. I have one myself, 10 year old Pixel, which I run Linux Mint on. My first PC that was never contaminated with Windows!

Col_Panek

Re: it's my wife's laptop that gets monopolised by the kids, not mine.... :-)

My 8 year old grandson had no problem. His older sisters use Chromebooks. Their parents are too stuck in their ways and are hopeless Windows slaves, though. Grandma is happier on Linux Mint than Windows 7.

Col_Panek

Re: Easy choice

Yes, I feel the same way about Gates.

You know, in fences, with all those hinges to wear and catches to snag you.

Col_Panek

Re: Other Choices

"But there's too many choices ... " Fine, then use Mint.

Col_Panek

Re: Other Choices

The latest history books explain that it happened about five years ago, for some distros (ZorinOS, Mint).

Chromebook expiration date, repair issues 'bad for people and planet'

Col_Panek

Re: So you actually rent them?

No, it's just the operating system which has an end of life date. Update that, you're good to go. I bought my 2013 model Pixel 5 years ago for $200 (new list $1100), put crostini on it, then GalliumOS, then Kubuntu, currently Linux Mint, which the wife likes.

Col_Panek

Better to un-Google it completely, and run Linux.

Col_Panek
Linux

Re: Bit one sided

" .... or they can be upgraded to run a better OS."

All our antique PCs run a better OS. Even my Chromebook.

America ain't exactly outlawing gas cars but it's steering hard into EVs

Col_Panek

Re: Change can happen quickly...

"If I asked people what they wanted, they'd say a faster horse." -- Henry Ford

The SAE projects that EV vs. ICE car build costs will cross over in the 2025ish time frame. If people get a choice of an EV and an ICE at the same price, some of them will go for the EV for its dramatically lower running costs, not to mention the zoom zoom factor (ignoring the noise and smell). There will be many who say they have to drive 600 miles without stopping, in -20C weather, pulling a boat, and park at an apartment or street with no charging. Many who will be convinced that it's a Liberal Democratic hoax like climate change, and that They can shut off your car when THEY want to limit you. Forcing people to change does nothing but generate resentment. Let them buy dino juice and enjoy the price.

SAE = Society of Automotive Engineers

Ukraine invasion blew up Russian cybercrime alliances

Col_Panek

Re: If Russia gives legal immunity to cybercriminals

Putin should conscript them all and send them to the front lines.

This is the end, Windows 7 and 8 friends: Microsoft drops support this week

Col_Panek

Re: Win 7

I have 3 Linux distros and all their apps on a $30 SSD, might boot a minute on my 13 year old Dell with 4 GB RAM.

Col_Panek

It's been replaced by Linux Mint.

Col_Panek

Re: Sleeker

I'm from the first half of the 20th century, so yeah. I like a tower that I can load up with cards and extra drives. These newfangled SFF things are really cramped.

Col_Panek

Re: Windows 10 is not a problem

I've put Puppy Linux on a laptop that ran Windows 2000 on 256MB. As long as I didn't open more than one browser tab, it was good enough for a kid to do homework on.

MX is another favorite. Even the KDE desktop is swift.

Col_Panek

Re: Ramp.....Money......

You lied when you wrote "Now.....Linux requires some effort and commitment....." If you stop trying new distros and desktops, it just works.

Col_Panek

Re: 2023 is the year of the Linux desktop /s

If they include any more, people will complain about bloat. But if you can install anything in a minute or so, who needs more?

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