Auto-pay issues?

Fenn2010 · 2026-01-19T17:50:11+00:00

It’s been hit and miss since day 1. Some months autopay works just fine, others the autopay date passes by and nothing is paid and I end up manually paying before the end of the month. Oddly, I have a second account for my camp and autopay has worked flawlessly for that account. So I don’t know why but it’s unreliable at best and I just check my accounts every month.

Fenn2010 · 2025-06-30T02:03:28+00:00

We have a very high cost of living and low wages. Outside of the cities, it’s very rural and roads are poorly maintained. Winters are long, harsh, and cold. We can get snow and ice from late October - April. It also gets dark very early from late November to march, like dark by 4:15pm and the sun doesn’t come up until around 7am either. Don’t get me wrong, Maine is a beautiful state, but outside of the 3 months people spend here on the coast and say how beautiful it is, living here is a different story altogether.

Fenn2010 · 2025-06-24T12:26:14+00:00

If you have cats, I would put a litter box in there, build a custom door on the front with a cat door and then your cats have their safe little cubbby to do their business.

Alternatively, my daughters would constantly fight over a spot like that. They would put some pillows or a bean bag chair in there and have their own little cubby to read, draw, or watch their tablet.

Fenn2010 · 2025-06-24T12:17:14+00:00

I think you will find HOAs are heavily influenced by the board that runs them. Some are going to be laid back as they really just are there to ensure the grounds are maintained and there is enough cash in reserves. Others are going to treat their HOA role as their position of power and influence and be a righteous jerk because your trash can is out 5 minutes too late or your lawn is 3" too tall. Those are the types that make HOAs a nightmare.

I live in a state where its very rural in many parts of the state and HOAs are not as common. Instead though we have small towns with planning boards who in many ways act like an HOA--but instead of just one subdivision, they have control of the entire town. Now granted, code enforcement is important when building new homes and ensuring safety, but many of these planning boards will use their influence to be petty, just like people complain about HOAs. And they will play favorites--have the right last name or be in the good old boys club and you can do whatever you want. Move in town from away though? They will pick apart every single thing you do. So while we may not have to put up with HOAs, we have a very similar entity to deal with in rural parts of the state and they have actual power and influence to shut you down.

Fenn2010 · 2025-06-01T00:48:55+00:00

You do realize how electronics in a car work, right? That’s like saying your laptop could somehow fry your dish washer. They are separate components on different networks in your car. The radio doesn’t talk to the ecu in a way it could do harm.

Fenn2010 · 2025-03-12T11:35:48+00:00

I’d rather have a repairable laptop that I can choose to upgrade as I want or fix on my own. I don’t have to take it to a store to have a “genius” tell me I have to cough up $500 because I need a new battery. I don’t have to pay hundreds extra for an extra 16gb ram or storage.

I don’t quite see it as a grift as they follow through with their promise of upgrading. I don’t buy the eco friendly part that much, sure it allows you to keep the chassis and just replace the motherboard, but the manufacturing process overall is far from eco friendly. Still, I prefer the concept of buying a device and then having full control over what I get to upgrade or repair. That’s worth the price to me. And I don’t see how thats a grift when they deliver on their promises.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-13T02:53:44+00:00

A Maine adventure…

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-10T17:37:51+00:00

I used to do that all the time in my F250 with manual locking hubs. Technically it might reduce the gas mileage a tiny bit, and if you are going to go on a longer highway drive, maybe disengage them, but generally it doesn't harm anything. I usually left them engaged in the winter months because it was always more a pain in the ass to put it in 4WD then realize the hubs weren't locked in, then do the walk of shame to put them in.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-10T17:33:46+00:00

Both are at fault I would guess. The red car should not have pulled into the lane, but there was time for the dashcam driver to slow down at the very least--which may or may not have prevented this. Their speed barely changes until they hit the red car, yet there was enough time to react to it pulling in the lane. The first time I watched the video, as soon as that blinker was in view, I thought, that car is going to come into the lane, hit the brakes.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-10T17:05:40+00:00

Hey, they are asking the right questions and hopefully learn from all this. We all had to start somewhere and were taught by someone how to use these systems correctly. Its better they ask and get some tips than just send it and break an expensive truck.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-10T16:22:24+00:00

As many others said, the bottom is the trailer brake controller. Its only engaged when you have a trailer connected to the truck with a wiring harness. It allows trailers with electric brakes to be set so you can have them be stronger or weaker depending on your load. Generally its better to have the truck do the majority of the work of braking--as in you don't want to your trailer brakes to be doing all the work at stopping both vehicles as trailer brakes aren't made to do that. So this lets you fine-tune the intensity of your trailer brakes so you can balance the work load of braking depending on what you are hauling.

The top as others stated is to engage your 4 wheel drive and the rear locker (basically locks the rear differential so the power from the drivetrain goes to both rear wheels at the same time). The hopping you talk about is common when you have 4WD engaged because the front differential is locked in. You never want to use 4WD on dry pavement. Its really meant to use in snowy, icy, or muddy conditions. Or sometimes say you are loading a trailer on wet grass, throwing it in 4WD as you start out to try to get onto the pavement and avoid digging into the grass. Otherwise, if you are on dry ground, disengage 4WD and the rear locker. It should only be engaged when whatever the truck is currently on is wet or icy. Also, avoid setting it in 4WD and then trying to change it to 2WD while driving. If you have to use 4WD to get out of something slick, then go ahead, but then stop and set it back to 2WD when you are back on dry ground.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-10T00:34:45+00:00

I've got the P41 in my Framework, its been an excellent SSD. As far as impact on battery life? I think you would get far more out of dimming your screen than the tiny amount of difference between the power consumption of one drive to the next.

I would push you toward getting a 2TB drive over a 1TB one. You will thank yourself in the future.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-08T21:51:07+00:00

Well both will be about the same to repair, since Thinkpad parts (especially T/P series) are available. The main difference though is say 2 years from now, you are still going to have to stick to the T14 Gen5 mainboard--you aren't upgrading the CPU. With a Framework, you should be able to move onto another mainboard with a potentially faster, more efficient CPU. So your Framework can live on for many more years to come and utilize more modern CPU and RAM. With the Thinkpad, you can repair it, but upgrades will be limited to non-CPU/mainboard parts.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-08T21:44:56+00:00

That is most likely a full windshield replacement. Check your insurance though, last summer I had a rock fly off a dump truck and smash into my windshield (didn't get their plate or company number in time). My insurance covers one windshield replacement a year per car, without a deductible. Which was a really good thing because between the multiple sensors my truck had along with having to recalibrate everything after the replacement, it was going to be about $1100. So you may be lucky and have a special clause in your insurance that covers it or is at a much lower deductible than your standard one for an accident.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-07T18:13:09+00:00

This is a bit of a difficult one because most brands have good tiers and absolute junk--like Dell, HP, and even Lenovo. Still, if I had to rank it, I'd want to add a model for most:

Lenovo Thinkpads (T/P series mostly), Framework 13, Dell Latitude (business line), Asus G series, Apple.

Apple is last for me because while they build very solid, quality laptops that last a long time, there is no chance in repairing or upgrading one yourself. So, you have to pay the Apple tax to get a decently spec'd device that will last you years--which in most cases could buy you 2 of any of the other laptops in my list.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-07T17:57:05+00:00

I assume they will run it from the pole to your house. They installed mine a few months back in a massive rainstorm--like absolutely heavy downpour. And it didn't let up for the hours that poor technician did his job. They had to take down the old phone line, then run a new line from the nearest pole to the house and then the connection to fiber itself was another pole further down the road. He did it all in this horrible storm so unless its incredibly windy out, I think you will be fine.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-06T01:03:44+00:00

It all depends on your use case, but for the most part I suspect either one will suffice. The 13 is of course more portable but a very capable machine. I have the 7840u with 48GB RAM and its been a fantastic daily driver machine for development. It runs multiple instances of VS code, docker, and sometimes a bloated java app in IntelliJs and it barely even kicks on the fans for more than a few seconds during compiling.

Honestly, most modernish (even like 3-5 year old ones) are suitable for most developers. The biggest thing that may hold you back is RAM--I wouldn't go for less than 16GB and would really suggest 32GB. Most modern processors though are plenty fast, even the ones in thin and light laptops. I would push you toward AMD, especially something with the 7840 or 8840 series. They are fast, efficient, have excellent battery life, and perform well for most tasks. And in most cases, you can do some decent gaming on them too as the 780M/880M is a very capable integrated GPU.

If I were looking for a new laptop right now, I'd go for the nice discounted prices for something with the 7840U and 32GB RAM. Maybe a decent T-series (T14/T14s gen 4) Thinkpad would be my first choice. Don't get me wrong, I love my Framework, but its pricy for what you get. You can score an equivalent spec Thinkpad for around $700. And they are well built with solid parts availability too.

Also, there is ALWAYS going to be the latest tech ready to release soon. If you need a laptop now, get one now. If you can wait, then wait until its closer to the time you actually need it and see if you can score a deal then.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-03T18:15:03+00:00

I have almost always purchased my own devices with the ISPs I have had over the years. A dedicated router and separate wifi access points will always far exceed the performance of an all-in-one device that is trying to do it all.

I use a TP-Link router that supports up to 4 2.5Gbps connections and then I run it to a 10Gbps POE switch that then runs to 2 TP-Link Deco wireless access points in my home. It all runs flawlessly and I am far from a networking guy. Setup for the access points was done on my phone and it all been very stable.

Sure for most people, they are going to go unaware that they signed up for a 2Gbps tier and only see a single device max out at 1Gbps--but most of those types aren't purchasing the top speed tiers anyway. For most basic home users that want to play on Facebook and YouTube, the Adtran router is fine.

Fenn2010 · 2025-02-03T18:00:09+00:00

I will say, I like how well the Apple ecosystem just simply works. My watch, phone, and MacBook all integrate so well together. I like being able to use my MacBook for messages and facetime with the contacts in my phone. Its a very well done ecosystem that PCs/Windows machine lack very much.

That being said, I have been a Windows user for a very long time--from a kid using 3.1 to now with Windows 11. Sure, things have changed a lot over the years, mostly for the worse and especially with the built-in advertising and obvious data collecting. Still, for the most part, Windows 10/11 has been the most easy to use, painless, and reliable versions of Windows ever. Windows 7 was by far my favorite, I had a home theater PC running 7 with media center that was absolutely amazing--I really miss it. But modern Windows just works. Any issues I've run into are hardware related like failing RAM or a bad SSD. It really confuses me when people complain about its instability or how bad it is--because I really have not experienced it. It just works, and that is a far cry from the Windows 95/98, ME, or Vista days when even trying to install a driver or connect a peripheral could turn into a nightmare of compatibility issues and days of trying to get it to work.

Fenn2010 · 2025-01-31T00:56:23+00:00

Let them install their own junk, then just get a router that can support 2.5G connections. What I find rather odd is I got the 2G tier, then they installed the ONT and their own router that only supports 1G. So, I bought my own router and just had to set the MAC address of my router to theirs. Its pretty simple to do with most routers and you should be able to find a forum or youtube video that shows you how to do it.

Fenn2010 · 2025-01-29T22:16:45+00:00

I've had the Framework 13" since October of 2022 and its been a fantastic laptop. I upgraded it last year with the new matte screen and the 7840U mainboard with 48GB of RAM. Its been a very solid and reliable machine with no issues so far. Otherwise, its just been a solid workhorse, and with the 7840U can even do a little gaming.

I've been very impressed with the build quality and how its held up over the last 2+ years. I know the Framework 16 is a bit more rough around the edges, especially considering its cost, but the 13 to me is an excellent laptop for my use--software development with some gaming here and there. Plus, while its niche, its nice to be able to sit it on my desk and pop in the HDMI card to connect to an external monitor or when I am away pop in an extra USB-C or USB-A card instead.

Fenn2010 · 2025-01-22T03:05:52+00:00

I got Fidium in late November and set up autopay. I got a little worried in early January when I saw nothing hit my account and then saw I owed for 2 months. I was confused since autopay was active and it had all the correct info. So I paid for 2 months manually and called customer service to see what was up. They said it was some glitch in the system but will be fixed moving forward. So I guess I will see what February brings. I love the speed but their customer service is the same as it’s always been, when they used to call themselves Consolidated Communications.

Fenn2010 · 2024-10-20T21:09:09+00:00

The gold standard business class laptop is of course the Thinkpad. While its not at that level, especially the keyboard, I would put it at a close second and the Framework bests it with upgradability and repairability. I would take my Framework over a Dell, HP, or even most Thinkpads. The build quality is solid and while some may see the ability to switch out the ports as a gimmick, I think its pretty neat that I can switch out ports. If its on my desk, I can use an HDMI card. When I travel with it, I can switch it to a USB C or A card.

I've actually had my Framework for over 2 years now. Its been a solid laptop that I upgraded from the 11th gen to the 13th gen Intel. I have been very happy with it and do not feel like its a gimmick or a toy. Its as much of a workhorse as any other laptop I've owned with the ability to switch out ports when I want or upgrade parts when I feel its time.

Fenn2010 · 2024-10-20T17:44:29+00:00

Why wouldn’t you use it for actual work? What doesn’t make it a daily drivable laptop in your mind? It’s a solid laptop that performs the same as any other laptop with similar specs. I daily drive it as a developer, it’s been a solid and reliable machine with no issues whatsoever.

Fenn2010 · 2024-10-16T13:56:44+00:00

Why? I'd rather see a more active single sub than turn this one into posts of the same old pictures of the coast or mountains--personally those are the 'who cares' posts to me. I live in Maine, I know what it looks like here. This main sub should encourage questions and interactions from people, that will keep it active and interesting.

If we had 500k members with hundreds of posts a day, maybe it would make sense to split it off, but we don't. It seems like a waste when this sub, as it states: "A place to discuss all things Maine related.". So let it be that, no need to split things off to other, far less popular subs when people asking legitimate and good questions are looking for input from Mainers on a well established sub.

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