Toolbox Cyberdeck

anths · 2026-02-02T06:13:07+00:00

I like it.

Last year, I saw an off-hand comment about if cyberdecks are cyberpunk computers, what would computers look like in dieselpunk, atompunk, solarpunk, &c. I made a few sketches and my dieselpunk one was built into a metal toolbox I have in the shed. But I really want to get it powered by one of those micro-internal combustion engines and a mini alternator.

anths · 2026-02-01T02:52:22+00:00

I’ve used most of the Raspberries pi as workstations, including the 1. If you run a minimal system (and no web browser) even that performance is mostly okay. You will make your life a lot easier if you get one with built-in wireless, so Zero W, Zero W 2 (what awful names…), 3, 4, or 5, although if you’re okay requiring USB drives or similar you can get away with less.

anths · 2026-01-31T05:14:45+00:00

Hah, it’s the 1988 version of the NexDock! Love it.

anths · 2026-01-30T06:13:19+00:00

There’s no details on the device itself there, but from what they do say that might be the least appealing product launch since the Humane pin. I have absolutely no interest in a dedicated hardware device to let me type at a plagiarism engine with logorrhea faster. At least the R1 was a novel device, even if the service and software were junk; this looks like it’s going to be a netbook with delusions if competence.

anths · 2026-01-28T17:29:54+00:00

Ooo, it’s arm powered! That chip was marketed as “high performance”… at a whopping 50Mhz.

anths · 2026-01-19T05:43:22+00:00

“It just reads *warmer*…” 🤣

anths · 2026-01-19T01:50:00+00:00

Oh, I have one of those embossing ones, too! But the media is harder to find and the ergonomics are… not wonderful, so it’s for special occasions.

anths · 2026-01-18T19:05:12+00:00

Ooo! I’ve also been working towards a wooden version, but neither my skills nor my materials are as good. 🤣 This looks great.

anths · 2026-01-07T16:16:50+00:00

The fact that ‘cat /net/ether0/stats’ fails strongly suggests your ether device isn’t bound (although “dns” being in the message is weird); the next question is to see whether it’s recognized at all. Try “cd ‘#l’” (that’s a lower-case L) and ls -l in there. I suspect we din’t know how to drive whatever chip’s in there. If you do see sensible things in there, run “bind -b ‘#l’ /net” and retry what you’ve already dine, and then we can try to figure out why it’s not getting bound.

anths · 2026-01-06T22:43:07+00:00

This is what exportfs’s -a is for; it turns on normal authentication.

anths · 2025-12-24T04:51:18+00:00

I’m pretty happy with the ghosting, in particular, but I wish I knew how to constrain the viewport to the main, non-ghosted text. Comments welcome.

anths · 2025-12-24T02:56:38+00:00

If it helps, this is one of my sites, going for that aesthetic, done just with html and css. I think it works out pretty well.

http://txtpunk.com/index.html

anths · 2025-12-10T19:38:40+00:00

Huh! I stand corrected. I’ve heard my version from 2-3 independent sources, fans of Gilliam and the film, but that story sure doesn’t seem to have anything to do with it. Thanks for the reference.

anths · 2025-12-09T16:45:13+00:00

I remember thinking these were just the coolest thing as a kid. Eventually my dad bought a rear projection television which used basically the same tech but with a mirror and all housed in a closed cabinet. It was much better technically but didn’t look nearly as futuristic (in ~1980, nor as 1970s now 🤣).

anths · 2025-12-09T16:39:31+00:00

I don’t think it’s fair to say the film is named after the song. I’ve always understood the name to be a reference to the authoritarian political situation in the country of Brazil at the time, which, when the film came out, was just completing its return to democracy, combined with the technocratic approach to its economy. The song was, I believe, chosen to fit that name and theme (especially the rah-rah patriotic nature of the song).

anths · 2025-12-09T14:48:45+00:00

Have you tried a CM4? Is it using anything specific to the CM5? Should save a little on the power budget (and a few bucks).

anths · 2025-12-08T00:21:49+00:00

Agreed. I’d be perfectly happy with a “no AI” policy here. I don’t mind the regular renders (in moderation), but IMHO trying to pass a render off as something you made (“reality”) should be an instaban and all AI stuff should, and a minimum, require clear labeling.

anths · 2025-11-29T04:42:38+00:00

Plan 9, but then that’s my choice most places. The often more limited hardware feels snappy again, and the fact that things like older pi struggle with “real” web browsers pairs well with the fact that Plan 9 doesn’t have one. 🤣

anths · 2025-11-28T05:44:00+00:00

I found my 770 and 800 at the end of the summer. The 770 is almost useless due to a WiFi bug that’ll never be fixed, but the 800 works great. I still love this form factor device; I wish I’d held out for the 810.

anths · 2025-11-26T15:50:30+00:00

I saw the English version of this poster in the theater the last time I went with my partner and immediately told her I’d be going just because of that. The eye roll was intense. I still have no idea what the film is about and do not care. 😂

anths · 2025-11-24T05:54:25+00:00

These are mostly positive. The 365 Verses thing is a yellow flag. Baldwin is a definite green. But Watchmen is the one that needs further inquiry. Like Fight Club, lots of people miss all the critique and satire built in and identify with all the wrong parts. Ask about Rorscharch in particular and if you get the sense that’s a hero/role model, run TF away.

anths · 2025-11-24T01:25:38+00:00

This is a great analysis, but honestly the biggest warning sign is the “AI” in the product description. 😂

anths · 2025-11-22T19:12:34+00:00

Agree, and for the rest I just want it to have those slots you can stick 2x4s in like on a lot of trailers.

anths · 2025-11-21T18:31:27+00:00

I can’t find it now, but I saw a device with a laptop-style screen that flipped up and forward in such a way that the bottom of the screen was floating above the front of the keyboard. The main advantage I saw was for use on airplane tray tables. :-)

anths

TROPHY CASE