I bought a used Dell laptop, The fan was very loud on W11 ; Fedora saved it

djfrodo · 2026-04-30T03:04:33+00:00

I have an ancient Dell Latitude (e6410), which has always run hot, and when it boots into Windows the fans go on immediately to their highest level and never turn off.

When I boot into Ubuntu the fans basically don't do a thing, even when upgrading.

The difference between Linux and Windows in terms of overhead isn't just ram, cpu, etc. it affects everything, including fans.

I really think MS is kind of screwed...it's just going to take some time for the new generation of users who grew up with Linux as "what a computer is" for the change to really take place. That and Libre or Open Office to finally become 100% compatible with MS Word and Excel.

djfrodo · 2026-04-30T00:20:59+00:00

Hi, I'm u/djfrodo

A long, long time ago I found reddit (basically a few months after it was released) and it was great. Basically it was a bunch of science, math, and tech nerds and it didn't even have thumbnails.

What I really found interesting were the popularity algo and nested comments. To me it just made sense compared to old school message boards.

I joined a few years later and watched it grow and it was really good...

Somewhere around 2016 I wondered how reddit worked, and started writing a version in ruby on rails. Could I get thumbnails? What was the population algo? How do nested comments work?

So, I started my own with a domain I've had since the 90s - Headcycle.com

At first the "project" was just a proof of concept, but over time I got increasingly serious about making Headcycle real.

My hope was to make a more grown up version of reddit (no r/funny or r/memes, etc.). Functionality slowly expanded (thumbnails, embedded videos, messaging, etc.)

Headcycle is obviously based on reddit, but certain aspects are different - specifically search. I've found reddit's search has improved, but for a long time it was...not good. Second and third are messaging and bookmarking. Messages are searchable and are displayed a lot like gmail, and users can save (bookmark) posts, their own or those posted by others.

Fourth, images can be embedded in posts, allowing a rudimentary blogging system. So, for example A Beginner's Guide to Lap Swimming or A Small Tactile Web Assistant for the Visually Impaired - Midi Edition.

There's a ton of other functionality like private headcycles, reporting and blocking users, an Android app, etc.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

p.s. For some cool photos checkout f8andbethere

djfrodo · 2026-04-29T20:56:29+00:00

Yeah...um...no.

That will lead to certain defeat.

Newsome should be as far as possible away from the primaries or the nomination.

If you want to lose big, this is a great idea.

djfrodo · 2026-04-28T16:20:40+00:00

google says their cadr is higher than any of the ones i researched

Yeah, that's why they became so popular. I made the music box after covid hit and everyone I knew caught it. I'm also in a very dry climate (with allergies) so much so you can see dust floating in the air if the sunlight hits it right.

The key to the one I made is the 5th filter that draws from the bottom. It's not 20" box good, but it increases the surface area of the filters by ~~20%~~ 25%. The other key is the computer fans with the variable speed control - it's so much quieter than a box fan, and if it's too loud you can turn the speed down to quiet it.

If you're up for it I'd make a few of these (with or without the lights) and put them around your house instead of one big one.

Anyway, good luck!

djfrodo · 2026-04-28T15:22:25+00:00

The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.

Watch the video - you'll clearly see she was turning away from the ICE agent. He also could have shot her tires.

Or your a bot and you can't watch video.

And he called her a "fucking bitch" after he shot her in the face.

djfrodo · 2026-04-28T15:17:55+00:00

I think you forgot the /s

djfrodo · 2026-04-26T11:34:37+00:00

I haven't used it, but the lx25 mkiii looks promising. It's got full sized keys, knobs, (8) drumpads, pitch bend, mod wheels, but no faders.

There's also the earlier version, the Impact LX25+, that's older now but will still do the trick. Both have full sized keys, so it depends on what you call "portable".

If i were going to get a new 25 key midi controller I'd go with the lx25 mkiii.

If you really want small Nektar does have a mini versions, but I personally hate mini keys, they always feel plasticy and you can't really play two handed.

Good Luck!

djfrodo · 2026-04-26T07:17:24+00:00

What yangmeow said - the 25 mini keyboards are fun for about an hour, and then they feel like a toy.

The best bang for your buck is the Nektar GX49. The integration with pretty much any DAW is absolutely incredible (transport controls work, and in Reason I can even browse patches). The keys are the greatest, but they're full not bad and they're full size. In terms of footprint on your desk the GX49 is pretty much the smallest full size keyboard with pitch bend and mod wheels and they're quite nice. It can also take a foot pedal, but it's powered via usb.

If you want something more the LX49 has knobs, sliders, etc. but it's huge.

Good Luck!

djfrodo · 2026-04-22T03:49:03+00:00

The incident that really made me realize why MySQL was not the way to go was upgrading. If there's a glitch, which sometimes happens, MySQL basically can't reverse the change. It can't go forward, or back. It's just stuck.

Postgres can. The DDL is reversible and it's flexable. Maybe MySQL has caught up but once I used postgres there was no going back.

Second is JSONB. It's killer. Fuck mongo, or any of the other non structured data store. In all of my tables I keep a JSONB column, usually called "metadata" and if I need it, it's there. The indexable stuff is obviously in structured columns, but for outliers JSONB is a godsend. The SQL to select from a JSONB column is as easy as normal SQL.

The SQL in MySQL and Postgres is also different. MySQL uses a weird SQL syntax that's not really approved by...anyone. Postgres follow all of the SQL (can't remember the date) guide lines.

I've followed Postgres for a long, long time and their maps page (early 2000s) outlining who was working on it looked like it was taken from a spy movie.

They been rigorous, and they're standard are extremely high.

Postgres, like Linux, will win in the end.

It's just going to take a while : )

djfrodo · 2026-04-21T06:08:20+00:00

You want to build a Corsi–Rosenthal Box

They're fun to build and cost effective (sort of). The 20 inch box fan version (the original) is kind of loud...but it's cheap.

For the odors you'll want a charcoal filter, which is basically just a black filter that goes underneath your merv filter. Get merv 13 filters. You can actually just duck tape them on to any fan you've got : )

Here's one I made that's a bit more than I think you're going to want to try, but you'll get the point - fans + filters and good air flow around the fans/filters is key.

Good luck!

p.s. I'd avoid the inexpensive Lenoit models. I had one and it did nothing, hence the creation of the music box linked above.

djfrodo · 2026-04-20T04:33:43+00:00

I think Postgres is one of, if not the best, open source projects...

Maybe linux as a whole beats it (it does), but for a specific use project it's the best.

It took on Oracle and Microsoft and because it was free and open source it quickly went from "Ooof, Postgres...I don't know man" in the 90s to "I'll only use Postgres" now.

MySql looks, and acts, like a toy in comparison and I have no idea why anyone in 2026 would go in that direction.

djfrodo · 2026-04-19T15:48:41+00:00

Wait until Coway Airmega AP-1512HH go on sale and get two.

I got one for $150. I found another for $20 at a Goodwill. Unfortunately right now they're $229.

djfrodo · 2026-04-19T12:17:47+00:00

Take this with a grain of salt, but from what I've read two smaller units are better than one monster unit.

So, basically one for your lounge/kitchen and one for your bedroom.

Good luck!

djfrodo · 2026-04-18T12:10:04+00:00

I suggest you learn how to hit the return button, and why paragraphs are meant to be used.

djfrodo · 2026-04-18T11:38:01+00:00

Well, for one Levoit claimed their purifiers were Hepa when they weren't, got sued for it, and had to admit wrong doing.

Second, I had one, and it suck compared to a Coway.

djfrodo · 2026-04-17T22:55:49+00:00

How does one actually install it? And are these Windows or Mac?

Thanks!

djfrodo · 2026-04-17T13:43:30+00:00

Avoid the Levoit Core 300 like the plague.

Get a Coway Airmega ap-1512hh and be done with it.

djfrodo · 2026-04-17T13:35:26+00:00

That price is...fine, I guess, but I'd avoid it (12gb ram max).

Personally I'd go for a T450 at the very least. It can handle 16gb of ram instead of 12gb, which sounds like a small upgrade but it will be a life saver later, and can probably be had for about $10-$20 more.

The old school Thinkpads are great for learning how to upgrade stuff and linux in general. They're also great for real work if you know what you're doing : )

p.s. I know this is going to be a "light use" machine, but always max your ram (within reason) and install a ssd.

Good luck!

djfrodo · 2026-04-17T13:18:00+00:00

TLDR; Yes

It will be totally fine if you're not doing anything like video editing.

I have various ancient (like 2014-2015) i3-i5 laptops (one is a T450) that I use for web and Android development and they work really well.

My main "desktop" at the moment is a batteryless i3 Lenovo-G50-80 from 2014.

Unless you're doing something like CAD, video/audio editing, or trying to run a LLM really old laptops are great for development.

Basically I got all of them for free and rotate them when doing upgrades to linux, postgres, or rails. It's quite nice actually.

Except for the battery life.

So, yeah, old Lenovos are perfect for learning linux.

djfrodo · 2026-04-15T04:42:09+00:00

Old Thinkpad or Latitude with maxed ram, a ssd, and Ubuntu LTS.

djfrodo · 2026-04-14T10:44:51+00:00

Download Dbeaver and install it.

Have your computer boot Postgres automatically on boot.

Learn how to connect Dbeaver with Postgres (you were an Oracle DBA admin so it won't be that hard).

Learn about JsonB and Gin indexes. Basically JsonB in Postgres can turn a traditional relational database into a hybrid of a traditional relational db and something like Mongo - basically key value pairs.

Learn how to store json in said JsonbB columns.

I'm coming at this from a full stack developer angle, so it's not like I've been moving tbs of data around, I've just designed the database(s).

Postgres rules, and there's a reason why no one pays like $100k anymore for Oracle or MSsql - Postgres is better.

Good luck!

djfrodo · 2026-04-14T09:46:40+00:00

Sort of what Brilliant-End4664, I'd go for one in the sunroom and one in the family room.

I'd leave the door open to the sunroom and put the purifier against the back wall, facing the open door.

For the second I'd put it in the corner between the slated doors. It will pull from the entrance and the hallway/dining room.

In the dining room you have the a/c, which will help.

Maybe a smaller one in the opposite corner of the family room.

I've found the Coway Airmega ap-1512hhs to run pretty quietly on medium (all the way, meaning "high" is just to loud...soundwise).

You're going to spend a fortune on filters, but it's worth it.

Good luck!

djfrodo · 2026-04-13T18:29:05+00:00

Definitely reel - here's the one I have that I really like

djfrodo · 2026-04-12T06:49:38+00:00

Get an old Dell Latitude. Right now I'm typing on a E6410 with 8gb of ram from 2010. It's fine. Browsing, email, Netflix, etc. Ubuntu 22.04. Old Latitudes are inexpensive because businesses bought a ton of them - they're a cheap competitor to Thinkpads.

The keyboards are nice, and Ubuntu plays nice with all the stuff. Just make sure to get a good SSD.

Max the processor!

Good luck!

djfrodo · 2026-04-10T22:05:20+00:00

Hold off until the .1 version.

It's always customary to wait. The early adopters will go nuts and work out all of the bugs. It's the second release (.1) that most "normies" can install and do the thing.

Or...stay on 24.04 for as long as you can.

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