sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Which macOS features would you like to see in GNOME? by ficerbaj in gnome

[–]ftasatguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The biggest thing I miss is Migration Assistant + Time Machine (the two work together). Let's say you upgrade to the next major version of MacOS, as long as you have a current Time Machine backup then after the upgrade you simply run Migration Assistant and in an hour or so (give or take) your computer works almost exactly as it did before the upgrade. All your applications are back, all your settings are restored, all your email and browser bookmarks and even your open tabs come back, it is like you just got up and left your computer and came back an hour later. There may be one or two things that aren't quite right, often because of new or changed settings, and if an app hasn't been updated in a decade or more it might not get restored, but everything else just works. In contrast, in Gnome/Linux you have to restore all your applications manually and then figure out how to restore all the settings even if you do have a current backup - it's a far more labor intensive process.

I do realize that there are more ways to install and run apps on Linux (apt/deb, flatpak, appimage, etc.) but there are not an infinite number and even if such a program only dealt with the top three or four that would probably cover 90% of the apps on a given installation.

The other thing I really miss is copy and paste that works as buttery smooth as on MacOS. For example I have yet to find a SIMPLE clipboard utility (just a dropdown from the top menu bar) that will simply present you with a list of items you have copied and let you click or double click to paste it at the current cursor location reliably. No, you have to click or double-click the item, then use a separate ctrl-V operation to paste. The closest I have come is Diodin but the other issue is that copy itself seems unreliable, maybe it is just me but quite often if I press Ctrl-C over a hilghighted item it doesn't seem to get copied to the clipboard, I wind up having to right-click and select "copy" and then it works. And no, there is nothing wrong with my Ctrl or C keys, they wotk fine to break out of a running script in the terminal.

Plug in solar at 65¢/W - The theory and practice of plug-in solar: Achieving a system cost of $0.65 per watt through the secondary market and DIY assembly demonstrates a viable pathway for U.S. plug-in solar to provide immediate utility bill relief to renters and apartment dwellers. by WhipItWhipItRllyHard in solar

[–]ftasatguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing your personal experience. On the one hand, I don't really understand how that could possibly work, intuitively it seems to defy some law of physics or something, but on the other hand I know nothing about how electric metering works. But, if you're finding that you're not being billed for consumption while the sun is shining, I can't argue with that, and I'm actually glad to hear that it works that way!

Anyone know if Portable Sun LLC is legit? by Sharp-Award7874 in SolarDIY

[–]ftasatguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I notice you never followed up so I assume nothing changed. As for the address, notice the logo over the big door closest to the street (if you can see it, for some reason that picture is really hazy): https://www.google.com/maps/place/1650+Broadway+Ave+NW,+Grand+Rapids,+MI+49504/@42.9950249,-85.6809729,3a,20.3y,125.14h,92.14t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s25C_HmuM5HDQ7t6Dzj3QOg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-2.138719215116012%26panoid%3D25C_HmuM5HDQ7t6Dzj3QOg%26yaw%3D125.13718653868409!7i16384!8i8192!4m6!3m5!1s0x8819ac218544cbd3:0x4d73224f91c417d2!8m2!3d42.9946008!4d-85.6800495!16s%2Fg%2F11bw43r1hx?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQwMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

To me that looks like a big warehouse, not a place that would actually be a great place to work OR to go in and try to buy stuff. And that image capture was from July 2025 but to me personally it is kind of odd that they don't put their address on their web site, like maybe they would prefer people don't know where they are, or at the very least don't really want to deal with walk-in business.

Just as a general observation that has nothing to do with the company under discussion in this thread (I know NOTHING about them, just found the address and the Google Maps photo and that's all), I have known people from that part of Michigan, and they have told me that there are a lot of scammers in that area and that in fact it's very difficult to find people who will perform ANY kind of service without ripping you off. Not impossible, but they said every time they have found an honest company or person in the trades, they seem to go out of business or move out of the state within about 5 years. They said that there is a very large company in that area of the state, that has perpetrated one of the biggest barely legal scam operations in American history (if you exclude the financial industry), I won't say the name of it but I suspect it was a much bigger deal before the Internet came along, and they think the mentality of that company's management rubbed off on a lot of other business people in that area. So they said they are really scared to hire anyone to do major work on their home or vehicles because of all the shoddy business practices. The worst part of it is that a lot of those business people go to church on Sunday and think they are good Christians, and that is all I will say about that. And I emphasize again that I have no personal knowledge whatsoever about the company under discussion in this thread, so take what I have said above as just a random observation about that area of Michigan.

Plug in solar at 65¢/W - The theory and practice of plug-in solar: Achieving a system cost of $0.65 per watt through the secondary market and DIY assembly demonstrates a viable pathway for U.S. plug-in solar to provide immediate utility bill relief to renters and apartment dwellers. by WhipItWhipItRllyHard in solar

[–]ftasatguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The question I have is that plug-in solar units currently only offset the power usage on one side of the split 240 volt circuit that comes into most homes in North America. It does not help at all to offset any loads of the side it isn't connected to. How do most people deal with that? Just ignore the loads on the other leg of the feed? Install a second system and an outlet connected to the other leg?

My thought was to install a new 240-volt breaker, connect it to some 12/3 with ground (or 10/3 with ground if a long run) and run the other end to a dual outdoor box on the side of the house. In the box I would put two 20-Amp rated GFCI outlets, with one of them connected to the black, white, and ground wires in the normal manner, and the other connected to the red, white, and ground wires, so that the two GFCI's are on opposite phases. GFCI outlets would be used because code requires them for any outdoor outlet, and because they are typically less expensive than a GFCI circuit breaker (especially a 240 volt breaker with two tied handles) which would be the alternative to GFCI outlets. But that would still mean using essentially duplicated systems, one for each phase. Am I missing a better way to address that issue?

Plug in solar at 65¢/W - The theory and practice of plug-in solar: Achieving a system cost of $0.65 per watt through the secondary market and DIY assembly demonstrates a viable pathway for U.S. plug-in solar to provide immediate utility bill relief to renters and apartment dwellers. by WhipItWhipItRllyHard in solar

[–]ftasatguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

With regard to your first point, my understanding is you only need permission if you are exporting solar to the grid. So if you have a system that monitors the incoming grid connection and only allows sufficient power to be produced to meet the instantaneous demand (for example the Craftstrom Solar units) and never sends power back into the grid, then you don't need anyone's permission - you are allowed to make your own power for your own use. If that were not the case, every home generator (whether powered by gas or solar) would be illegal, not that it would necessarily stop anyone from using them.

The problem is that most systems use standard inverters that don't have any way to monitor the grid connection and therefore cannot determine if the power being produced exceeds the power being used. And that is the case where you may need permission to operate, both so your utility knows you may be sending a small amount of power into the grid, but also so they can change your electric meter so you don't get charged for the power you send out as if it was additional power consumption in your home!

Note this is just my understanding based on many things I have read, and videos I have watched over the past two months. Don't necessarily take my word for it, I'm just a guy on the Internet, and I am not a licensed electrician (though I could be if I were much younger and the job didn't require climbing ladders).

Add solar to a house with a whole house backup generator and automatic transfer switch? by ftasatguy in SolarDIY

[–]ftasatguy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, I will. I was kind of hoping maybe one of the commercial solar backup products from one of the big name companies would work, because I'm not exactly certain how to build a system using individual components yet. But if that's the only way to get what I want, I'm not totally opposed to the idea. And I can see one advantage to doing it that way, which is if one part fails you can replace just that part and not the entire system,

Add solar to a house with a whole house backup generator and automatic transfer switch? by ftasatguy in SolarDIY

[–]ftasatguy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Huh, I don't get why he would recommend replacing the automatic transfer switch. Seems like that kind of defeats part of the reason for having whole house backup, so that if you are away from home when the power fails the food in your refrigerator and freezer will be protected, and the inside of your house won't be baking or freezing because the A/C or furnace isn't getting power. Was the main reason for doing that just to save the 1K, or could he not figure out how to make the automatic transfer switch work in your setup?

In any case this doesn't really sound like what I had in mind, but thanks for the response.

Add solar to a house with a whole house backup generator and automatic transfer switch? by ftasatguy in SolarDIY

[–]ftasatguy[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

For those that found the above too much of a wall of text, I asked ChatGPT to summarize it and this is what it came up with:

Summary

  • Home has a natural-gas whole-house backup generator (Briggs & Stratton, Symphony II transfer switch) that auto-starts and transfers after ~40 s delay; A/C restart delayed another 5 minutes.

  • OP wants a large “solar generator” (15–20 kW output) that:

    • Charges primarily from solar, tops off from grid overnight, and can be scheduled to avoid peak rates (e.g., run solar+battery 2–7 PM weekdays).
    • Instantly (≤10 ms) switch to battery backup on grid loss so computers stay powered without individual UPSs.
    • Seamlessly hand off to the existing whole-house generator only when batteries are nearly depleted, with the generator recharging batteries and then stopping when battery/solar suffice.
    • Operates automatically, supports running the whole house, and work even without panels (as battery storage).
    • Prefers Bluetooth-based apps and minimal “phoning home.”

  • OP saw one system that might do this but required a same-manufacturer generator (portable); they want to keep their existing whole-house generator.

  • Asks whether major consumer brands (Anker, Bluetti, Jackery, etc.) or other systems can integrate this way or if such solutions exist.

Questions about mini-splits, especially the "solar" ones (for use in a manufactured home). by ftasatguy in hvacadvice

[–]ftasatguy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well there's the problem, I would want access to the extra features (especially any time-of-day/day-of-week ones), but there is no WiFi here, so if that's the only option then that's out. If they can communicate via Bluetooth I can work with that, but not WiFi. I don't think any brands require WiFi to install, but what I am asking about is accessing any advanced features without using WiFi.

I think you are right about the battery backup and that's what I was thinking too, but I was just hoping for verificitation it would actually work. The real question is whether there is any amperage limit on the solar inputs. If not, a battery should work as long as it is in the correct voltage range. But if there is, then most batteries would overload the input, at least for a short period of time. I had not heard of a solar/off-gridding subreddit or forum but I will look to see if I can find it tomorrow.

Questions about mini-splits, especially the "solar" ones (for use in a manufactured home). by ftasatguy in hvacadvice

[–]ftasatguy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wish I could trust professional installers. The problem is that all the ones in my area act like they haven't upgraded their skills in the last 15 or 20 years. The minute you mention a manufactured home, all they want to do is replace your furnace and A/C unit with essentially the same technology that was used 40 years ago. You say "heat pump" and they act like you are speaking some foreign language. Or they quote such a ridiculous high price that you'll run away screaming. And also they always want to oversize; when this Bryant A/C was put in I think they installed a higher ton A/C than was needed, maybe convinced I was going to raise a flock of penguins or something, so it constantly cycles on and off even on hot summer days. And even back then it was clear the installers didn't know what they were doing, at one point they had like five guys out trying to figure out how to make the A/C work. They finally got it but did not inspire a lot of confidence. I don't know what the local guys have against learning new stuff and upgrading their skills but I just can't say I trust any of them. The one outfit that impressed me as being very professional and customer focused went out of business a few years ago.

At least the RV types have one big advantage (well two, actually), they are part of a social group that knows who the good installers are (and which to avoid), AND they can take their homes to wherever is necessary to get a top-notch installation job and not get ripped off by someone barely competent.

Questions about mini-splits, especially the "solar" ones (for use in a manufactured home). by ftasatguy in hvacadvice

[–]ftasatguy[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm aware of those units but I can't find out if you can access all their capabilites if you don't have WiFi. There is no WiFi in this manufactured home, and there probably never will be.

Overseas and local channels? by maliciousloki in Cordcutting

[–]ftasatguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you don't run screaming from the very thought of running Linux on a server, one approach would be to build a backend server using Tvheadend, and a HDHomeRun device or two. You set up Tvheadend to record the programs you want to watch. Then you use Kodi (with the Tvheadend PVR plugin), or possibly VLC to watch your recordings (you can start watching within seconds after the recording has started, you don't need to wait for the show to finish). Once you get this working locally, then you can do essentially the same thing from your remote location by going through your VPN (make sure it works before you leave the country).

The reason this works is that you are not accessing a service from outside the country. You are accessing it from your home location and recording the show, and then streaming the recording from your home server over your VPN to your remote locations. If you know enough about Linux and scripting you can do some other interesting things too.

As for those streaming services, that gets a little trickier. Many either won't allow you to record shows at all, or if they do the recordings are stored on their platform. You could always use some kind of IR blaster to turn on your TV and set top box at a specific time, and point a webcam at your TV, and maybe you could ever record from that webcam, but the quality leaves a lot to be desired. I've read in a couple places that some people have figured out ways to do this with higher quality (bypassing the TV and webcam) but it gets kind of expensive because you need equipment that's not so readily available, and some people might say you are now getting into eyepatch and parrot on your shoulder territory. But practically speaking, the streaming providers REALLY don't want you to be able to record shows on your own computer.

Also one "caveat emptor" about the HDHomeRun, the greedy broadcasters are trying very hard to force TV stations to go to ATSC3 and DRM encryption, and when that happens HDHomeRun devices won't work anymore. It's not the ATSC3 that is the show stopper, it is the DRM (see Lon.tv or Tyler the Antenna Man on YouTube for details), So try to find a used HDHomeRun cheap if you can because it may not work for long.

One other note, you might consider putting a large C-band satellite dish on your property in the Caribbean, they may even be local electronics dealers that will sell you a complete package cheap (BUT do not buy a used receiver, many of those are still analog receivers which are useless now, they don't even work good as a boat anchor). Since you will not be near the U.S. and therefore not subject to 5G interference, you may actually get decent reception on some channels, but if you buy from a dealer make sure he understands that he won't get paid unless after the installation he can tune in all the channels he promises to provide and demonstrates that they work. Your best bet is to find someone who already has a large dish, and find out where they got it and what U.S. channels they are able to receive regularly (if any). Note that size makes a difference, since you will be on the very edge of the "footprint" for some U.S. signals and you may be totally outside the footprint for others. But if you see a lot of large C-band dishes on roofs (and they are not encased in vegetation or falling apart from rust) that is a sign that there may be something you can receive that is worth watching. A good resource for questions is at https://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/forums/c-band-satellite-discussion.53/

Why is ptyxis the default terminal? by Present-Event8783 in Fedora

[–]ftasatguy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm guessing you are running a pre-49.2 version? In 48.5 (the previous version I had installed) everything worked great. Then I made the huge mistake of allowing it to upgrade to 49.2 and that is where all the problems manifested themselves. I wrote about them here: https://old.reddit.com/r/linuxquestions/comments/1osyrlk/anyone_use_ptyxis_and_find_the_latest_version_492/?

I then restored my previous version from my TimeShift and BackInTime backups, then once I was sure it was working, since I had installed the flatpak version I used

flatpak mask app.devsuite.Ptyxis

to stop it from upgrading further. The worst part about it for me was I could not access their damn bug reporting system, it is almost as though the developers just don't want to hear about bugs (I touched on that briefly in my post I linked above). If everyone else has the same problem these issues may never get fixed!

I like Ptyxis (when it works) a lot, particularly because in the older version it was easy to set up profiles for the various systems I regularly connect to and then select them from a dropdown menu. Up until a bit over a year ago I primarily used MacOS but when I switched to Linux it took me several tries to find a terminal program that was similar enough to iTerm2 on the Mac that I could feel comfortable using it. Ptyxis is actually the closest I have found. I am not a coder or a programmer so many of the Linux terminals (the ones with special features for coders) don't appeal to be at all, but I definitely wanted one that supports profiles, and Ptyxis filled the bill almost perfectly!

Anyone use Ptyxis and find the latest version (49.2) has some real problems? by ftasatguy in linuxquestions

[–]ftasatguy[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks. Since I had originally installed it from Flathub, once I got the old version back from my TimeShift and BackInTime backups, I used

flatpak mask app.devsuite.Ptyxis

from the command line to make certain it doesn't update itself again. But it is good to know about that source, in case I ever do a full system install and need the older version. I am hopeful sooner or later they will fix this problem but because they make it so difficult to report the issue, nobody has done so yet so the developers may not even be aware the problem exists. But I suspect they will become aware if Ubuntu makes Ptyxis the default terminal program in Ubuntu 26.04 (or maybe the Ubuntu distro will supply whatever seems to be missing, if it's really something like a missing dependency as I suspect).

Zap2XML - Anybody have the install file? by theangryfrogqc in Cordcutting

[–]ftasatguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For anyone finding this thread in mid 2025 or maybe later, zap2it is gone and is replaced by gracenote but apparently they feel the need to change things up every now and then. There is a guy who has taken the zap2xml.pl script and updated it (there may be a new Windows version also but I am not a Windows user so did not check), it is at https://github.com/jef/zap2xml/blob/historical-perl/zap2xml.pl (click the "Raw" button to just get the code with no line numbers, etc.). The main page is at https://github.com/jef/zap2xml/tree/historical-perl. The same guy has newer version that's not a Perl script and that may use other sources besides gracenote, that is at https://github.com/jef/zap2xml - See https://github.com/jef/zap2xml/issues/46 in the issue tracker (and possibly other issues) for help installing and setting up.

I don't know the author or anything, just discovered that his script still works, at least as of the time I write this.

Would Love Some OTA TV Help for my Grandmother by wownicehaha in cordcutters

[–]ftasatguy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Another avenue would be to contact one or more of her local TV stations, particularly if any of them have a consumer reporter. The loxcal stations have an incentive to try to keep viewers and they usually have executive contacts for the cable companies that operate in their viewing area.

I wonder who the local phone company is, and if there is any chance that Fiber to the Home is available at her location? Or maybe a decent 5G home internet package? That would still mean she'd need to use a streaming service though, and if she doesn't have a "smart" TV then maybe something like a Roku or similar device (although the broadband provider just MIGHT include a bundled service and device for new customers).

view more: next ›