Mastodawn

🧵
The machine seems conflicted.. It has the HP logo but is a compaq model... With AI (LLM SALAMI) and the attacks on Iran driving up CPU and various component costs, refurbishing old machines and Frugal Computing in general will become more attractive (better know!?!?) for more people...
> prices for electronics are already up 200% to 500%. And they’ll go higher. Memory is near unfindable, and now CPU chips are getting rare.
https://pivot-to-ai.com/2026/03/27/the-ai-bubble-and-the-global-polycrisis/
#OldPCs #FrugalComputing

The AI bubble and the global polycrisis

The AI bubble is a symptom of our wider economic problems. It’s the last thing masking the bigger systemic issues — so they don’t show up in the macro numbers. Just on the ground. But the US bombed…

Pivot to AI

N-gated Hacker News 1d ago

🚀 Wow, folks, the government is playing router police now! But fear not, because apparently, with enough Linux, you can turn your toaster into an enterprise-grade network hub. 🔧🤖 Who knew the secret to circumventing tech bans was just hoarding old PCs and a sprinkle of tech wizardry? 😂
https://nbailey.ca/post/router/ #routerpolice #LinuxToaster #techwizardry #networkhacks #oldPCs #HackerNews #ngated

How to turn anything into a router

I don’t like to cover “current events” very much, but the American government just revealed a truly bewildering policy effectively banning import of new consumer router models. This is ridiculous for many reasons, but if this does indeed come to pass it may be beneficial to learn how to “homebrew” a router. Fortunately, you can make a router out of basically anything resembling a computer. I’ve used a linux powered mini-pc as my own router for many years, and have posted a few times before about how to make linux routers and firewalls in that time.

Hacker News Jan 8

Japanese electronics store pleads for old PCs amid ongoing hardware shortage

https://www.tomshardware.com/desktops/pc-building/major-japanese-electronics-store-begs-customers-for-their-old-pcs-as-hardware-drought-continues-we-pretty-much-buy-any-pc-pleads-the-akihabara-outlet

#HackerNews #JapaneseElectronics #OldPCs #HardwareShortage #Akihabara #TechNews #PCBuilding

Major Japanese electronics store begs customers for their old PCs as hardware drought continues — ‘we pretty much buy any PC’ pleads the Akihabara outlet

Old becomes gold in Akihabara Electric Town.

Tom's Hardware

Brian Small Oct 24

Slideshow quizes (animated simply!) are possible with a 32bit Fujitsu machine that used to work through Windows Vista.

Now the machine works (much better probably) through Debian 12. The Gnome Window Manager was OK (maybe slow) until the other projector screen was connected. Then it froze up a bit and I couldn't figure out how to configure the display.

So another try with the LXDE Window Manager and configuring the projector display (VGA monitor) to be 1024×768 like the laptop (LCD monitor) and I'm set!!

Now that I think of it all the old Fujitsu PCs I've dealt with have been reliable.. They've all been 32 bit so maybe it's unfair to compare them with the little Panasonic machines that won't take electricity anymore: one was running Debian12 Gnome and the other had the Win11 OS it came with but both just used up both batteries than refused to start up again even while plugged in. It's irritating. For years and old NEC laptop with no battery served to show movies but these more modern PCs are becoming a pain in the butt. It was probably a mistake to get another little Panasonic machine. The BIOS won't show from pressing F2 during start up. One has to work through the irritating Win11 screen and find settings to completely power down the PC. Then go through the big distraction OS again to get the machine to boot from a DVd or USB stick..

It must be the "Invisible Foot" principle of the economy at work again. Any little thing that is more wasteful and irritating for others somehow enriches and further empowers corporate billionaire types like Bill Gates.. I hoe he can't ruin Africa's farming and chickens the way he ruins PCs for me..

#FreedomSoftware #RacketSlideshow #LXDE #WindowManagers #OldPCs

bs2 Jun 15, 2024

The Free Night School was moved to another building by a great biotope pond last night. It was hot but nice with various little areas for chatting, impromptu epgdm lessons... A primary school student got into G-Compris puzzles and Uni student got into tux typing. And I was entrusted with someones old Win7 PC for the first time. Rainy Saturday was good to be a "Linux Creature" between guests and park visits.

#PC救い隊 #三股よる学校 #OldPCs #FreeOSInstallation