...I didn't realize SW people were leaving desktops?
I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
411–420 of 693 posts
Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
#412Earlier quoted context omitted.
I love desktops, but I have to admit that it's pretty great having a built-in UPS. To get the equivalent for my desktop is an extra $200+ and a big honking box that apparently will only last for 30 minutes when the power goes out.
The power goes out for a day, sometimes days, every year in my neighborhood when the wind blows. Finally fed up, I recently had a generator installed that attaches to the natural gas line. I know that purchase was effective, because a week after it was installed there was a big storm and power went out everywhere except my neighborhood. Just having a generator successfully wards off power failure, you never have to a…
> Just having a generator successfully wards off power failure, you never have to actually turn it on.
Beware, you need to regularly maintain it too (hopefully it does a weekly starter test, and it probably needs yearly oil changes). I didn't check mine, and found the battery charger had failed at about 1 am when my wife had a flight out that morning. That was fun.
(We don't have everything on the generator, so it's not as effective as yours, our utility wiring is actually pretty fragile, and our well pump is one of the things not on the generator, buying a portable genrator for that seems to have helped, but I did have to roll it out a week ago)
Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
#413What's crazy to me is how insanely overspec'd mobile devices are for what they deliver. If you went back in time and told 1999 me the following: I'll give you a computer with the following: * 256GB of solid-state storage * 6 CPUs @ 3+GHz * 8GB of RAM * Weighs only 200 grams * Battery-powered, lasts 5+ hours * 1440 x 3168 resolution display I would have been absolutely gobsmacked. Such a machine absolutely outclasses…
You want to 'develop' on a mobile device? Interested to hear how you would envision this being a pleasant experience. It's also a trade off between installing what software you want and security - the App store means you don't have to worry about (certain kinds) of maliciousness from software you install. I just think it's a little bit of a spicy take saying mobile devices "don't deliver" when they are most successfu…
fwiw some people develop software for jailbroken devices on their device. They seem to manage somehow. I suspect with a Bluetooth keyboard and an external screen it would be too bad if you had no other choice.
Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
#414If more people are working at home, in one place, the value of a laptop decreases quite a bit
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if we see a resurgence in desktop computers since all the places a laptop shines: coffee shop, train commute, working on a plane, aren’t all that important anymore.
Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
#415Agree. Keeping a work desktop is better option, combined with a low-end MacBook Air, or anything you prefer. There are times when you still have to head to meeting rooms, work outdoors, or in front of TV. Laptop is handy at that time.
Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
#416Earlier quoted context omitted.
Do your compiles write multiple gigabytes of data? Within seconds?
If you're running multithreaded build jobs with ninja and have many cores then maybe?
And that is something else that is alien to laptops. Best laptop I could find (for when I am away from my desktop) is 8c16t, that makes a massive difference for compilation.
Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
#417Earlier quoted context omitted.
To be fair, quite a few Android phones have unlockable bootloaders. You go to the manufacturer's website, download a utility or request a code, and you can then also install whichever OS you want.
In my experience realistically even if you can unlock the bootloader, the hardware is still so proprietary that you have no hope of ever installing an alternative OS it because by the time you reverse engineer it all the phone is already 10 years old.
In my experience it usually goes just fine. I’m actually not totally sure what you’re talking about, what does the hardware have to do with it if you’ve got the bootloader unlocked? Assuming you’ve got something common like a Qualcomm SoC, it’s pretty straightforward to take codeaurora or whatever source and AOSP and 90% of the time have an almost fully functional custom image for your device.
Now granted I’ve rooted every phone I’ve had since the HTC Incredible, and I always check XDA forums before buying a new one to see if there’s a decent development community. And in recent years there has been a SHARP drop in the % of manufacturers that even allow their bootloaders to be unlocked - I don’t think the last like 6 samsung galaxy’s have ever been possible to do it. But there are still plenty, I’ve managed to find a kickass flagship model every year or 2 years and upgrade through at least 2 or 3 versions of android (I always buy last- or last-last-gen models used for I couldn’t imagine any other way honestly. I absolutely love rooting & flashing custom roms, and it’s kept all my phones practically as young and snappy as the day they originally released...or better
Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
#418Earlier quoted context omitted.
> 1. I like big, big monitors. 2. I prefer a full size keyboard. 3. I prefer a separate mouse. You can have these with a laptop too. At home I use my laptop with an external screen, keyboard, mouse (the latter two are wireless), because it's much more comfortable.
It's hard to find a full size bluetooth keyboard. I think I went through every keyboard on Amazon and found only one. If you use a USB wireless keyboard, well, there goes one of the two USB slots on the laptop. It's not just the monitor being big, I want lots and lots of pixels. I'm currently running 3840*2160, and have a second monitor attached set up in portrait mode (so I can display a manual page while I work on…
> It's hard to find a full size bluetooth keyboard.
Microsoft make at least two, the Surface Keyboard [1] and the Ergonomic version [2]. I own several of the standard ones, and they're the best-made keyboards I've ever owned (and the only ones my joints can currently cope with), but the fact that they're Bluetooth instead of USB drives me insane. I'd pay extra for a wired version that just instantly sends the keystroke every time instead of going to sleep after a while (while it's awake it's instant, it just wants to save battery after being idle).
[1] https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/p/surface-keyboard/8r3rqvvfl...
[2] https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/surface-ergonomic-keyboard...
Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
#419> I know that new "open" laptops are still available, but most of them--the System76's, the Purisms, etc.--are overpriced in my opinion This quote suggest to me the author is an integral part of the problem. Companies are ALWAYS trying to increase their profitability. If they can lock down the computer, they can drop the price while _increasing_ CLTV. That’s why System76 is more expensive. They’re NOT overpriced. The…
These "open" vendors are selling you machines with a very, very closed Intel Management Engine (IME) or AMD Platform Security Processor (PSP) in it. They're distracting people from the real problem, and doing so is harmful.
What.
I forget what all of the main players are right now, but I know I’ve read on at least 2 of these types of open hardware companies’ sites how they scrub the intel ME all but completely out of the machine. That’s kind of the whole point, and they advertise that pretty conspicuously in their marketing.
If I didn’t start using a (17”, 3lb!) LG Gram laptop right around the time before I learned about open firmware, I would probably use a system76 laptop. For right now, the LG is just so damn light for that huge beautiful screen.....i’ve ruined myself and can’t switch to anything else until further notice unless another manufacturer makes a similarly ridiculous screensize:weight-ratio’d laptop lol (pine, purism, s76...you listening?)
Re: I am seriously considering going back to desktop computers
#420Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sure. The NVMe that gives you 2GB/s write may throttle to only 500 MB/s after a few seconds of writes, but-- How often is that a problem, really?
Two words: Heat Sinks A well proven way to move heat out of a silicon package to prolong its ability to perform at its highest potential. And in a desktop, you've got room for 'em.
On an NVME? You don't need heatsinks of an NVME. You have much bigger issues in your case if you think heatsinks will help on an NVME.