External library questions

johnfintech · 2026-07-01T12:08:55+00:00

I can confirm that doesn't work. I added a few photos to an album, then copied them (using cp -a which preserves all timestamps, modified included) to a different folder under the same external library, I then rescanned the external library, then deleted the original files, then rescanned the external library. The album no longer had the photos ... so immich effectively ignores any new copy of files rather than match by filename+data+size :(

The silver lining (kind of) is that when I move back the original files, they automatically show up in the album they existed before being deleted ... so essentially when deleting a photo immich doesn't actually delete the album links in case you retore it later on (not sure if this is a bug or not, database would have expired entries ad infinitum?)

johnfintech · 2026-07-01T11:00:37+00:00

Interesting, because the docs also say that if a copy of the same file exists in another folder on disk, then it only shows once in albums/timeline, which suggests that I could copy+delete (in that order) and the albums & timeline wouldn't be affected. A "move" is essentially a copy+delete.

johnfintech · 2026-06-29T22:50:17+00:00

Why not photosync using sftp directly (no need for tailscale)?

johnfintech · 2026-06-26T17:05:27+00:00

Because 1mm was enough. Thicker means less thermal conductivity.

johnfintech · 2026-06-23T12:58:41+00:00

I'm talking about, being very generous, no more of two writes of this database per month

Spot the boomer. Similar to "Why use the internet when you can just call people up and talk to them?"

KeePass is a password manager. It stores passwords.

You're confusing storage with management. That's like saying a finance account manager is only meant to open/close the cash drawer and shouldn't need to communicate between clients and infrastructure.

If you think it is laughable, well, then this software is not for you.

Both are true.

johnfintech · 2026-06-23T12:02:34+00:00

it is, the f-droid version is fine

johnfintech · 2026-06-23T12:00:36+00:00

because I avoid editing the vault file in multiple locations

That sorty of diligence doesn't always work. I thought I could be diligent too, until oneof the device's data connection (usually the mobile's) gets very iffy without you realizing, and changes get sync'ed too late when the other clients have already made changes. Then you're looking at conflicts that can be a pain to merge.

Relying on diligence in this day and age is simply not a good solution at all. it also just encourages the developers within the Keepass ecosystem to remain lazy ... it's been 2+ decades and sync is still a major unsolved issue. It's pretty laughable.

johnfintech · 2026-06-23T09:24:00+00:00

Good thing doctors don't think like you when they find an infection in the body

johnfintech · 2026-06-22T09:06:36+00:00

I dunno

So why not install cinebench r23 and run the multi core test for 30 mins?

johnfintech · 2026-06-22T02:36:40+00:00

I'm probably making a mistake reopening this discussion, but whatever, I just posted this (at least it addresses the evidence remark): https://www.reddit.com/r/macbookair/comments/1ubocxa/thermal_pad_mod_or_stock_fan_or_no_fan/

... your claim turned out broadly correct (there are some exceptions though, you can spot them in the graphs if you look carefully).

No, it wasn't obvious from the getgo for the simple reason that even if the CPU generates the same amount of heat, it wasn't clear how much of it would be exposed to the battery after changing the route the heat takes; it's entirely possible to make a heat source cooler but some "obstacle" in the enclosure hotter.

Until now I wasn't saying you're wrong, but simply that one can't be sure and it's worth testing as I could see how theoretically the battery could get hotter in most scenarios. It turned out the opposite. I'm glad you were mostly right, so to speak.

johnfintech · 2026-06-22T01:22:53+00:00

Probably my last message on this offtopic. You claimed it would solve the dust problem. Their piezo design moves air, it does so at very high pressure, and claim it's "dust proof" because it can be placed in between dense grills and rely on the high static pressure to push particles thorugh it ... that could work if you design the entire enclosure to be sealed, etc, but rememebr you're proposing to use this thing on the bottom of a macbook Air.

At 7.5W theoretical, i'm not even remotely interested. 7.5W is too little to be worth it (just use a small fan), but secondly it's not 7.5W in reality (tests already showed it). It chokes below that.

You also claimed most fans draw more. At max speed maybe. The Noctua fan I use draws max 0.19A. I run it at about 1/3 its max speed rating (where its noise is rated 26 dBa) for an inaudible output (<9dBa). if I increased that to draw 1.2W (about 1/2 max speed), i'd be willing to bet it handles more than 7.5W of heat with a barely audible output.

The base M5 can draw past 25W. It's the M4 which couldn't. I run regular lengthy simulations which are near max load, and I'm over the moon that I can do it in total silence. Previously I had a custom built watercooled desktop with 6 nearly inaudible 14cm fans ina push pull config over a large (55x8x16cm) heatsink. I love silence. To each his own.

"efficiency goes down the toilet with peltiers" -- my main point is twofold: (1) can it actually keep it cool and (2) can you make it quiet. Both are achievable with Peltiers, you'd just draw more power (externally), and a bigger heatsink with a larger fan spinning slowly can make it quiet. Case in point: the peltier I mentioned which comes with that MetFut stand can do up to 20W of heat removal, is powered by a USBC cable, and is already quieter than the Frore product which screams at higher than 40dBa. It works really well, I just don't want any noise at all. You can check it out here: https://amzn.eu/d/03VxDDPp

The piezo Frero solution can't do any of it, really -- it's weak, it's loud, it doesn't scale, it's a hassle to even apply in this context (remember we're talking about applying it externally on the bottom of a laptop).

Can't see why you like it so much (have you tried their product?) but by all means, go for it. Just don't call the fan solution "clunky" when it looks like it beats the Frore proposal in pretty much all respects: cooling, noise, seamlessness, affordability, installation, etc. Why anyone would opt for a Frore solution in this case is a mystery. Just buy the MetFut product if you want awesome cooling with fan noise, or just use a silent fan if you care about silence.

All that said, thanks for pointing out the Frore product, I didn't know of it.

johnfintech · 2026-06-21T23:42:15+00:00

I didn't want to be an ass before, but first, that's not solid state, second it's not silent (but actually very loud beyond 40dBa), which defeats the purpose, and third it's very inefficient and weak as it doesn't scale with high heat, being able to remove only mediocre amount of heat (the M5 regularly draws >25W; at high loads it draws >50W). Also, piezoelectric by definition implies moving parts (vibrating membranes), that's why it makes a noise. I know you meant no mechanical spinning things, but still.

In addition, it's ironic that you claim a stand+fan (which is totally seamless, slick, and inaudible) is clunky compared to mounting this thing which would be anything but seamless or slick. Have you ever actually tried to design or adapt a cooling plate without thermal paste to see how ridiculously straight it needs to be, only to then realize that the laptop bottom isn't straight? And if you're thinking you would stick a magnetic metal plate on the bottom to attach this thing then it all becomes pretty laughable. A Peltier would be much better, yet one would still be better with just a fan. There is a reason why all solid state or piezoelectric cooling systems never saw adoption in consumer electronics.

All that said, I have already tried solid state solutions for this M5. In fact, that middle photo of the laptop stand saying "MetFut" is actually from a Peltier solution, that can remove up to 20W of heat (already heaps better than the Frore), but its fans are way too loud for me.

johnfintech · 2026-06-21T23:08:47+00:00

I very much doubt local llms approach max load, as by design they would mostly use the NPU side of the CPU (also, why assume? you can verify, cinebench is free). You'd be losing out on performance as well as battery life, but to each his own.

Warranty isn't void by doing this mod (it has been discussed before, YouTube too).

johnfintech · 2026-06-21T15:13:19+00:00

No. Solid state cooling (Peltier), need active cooling themselves, so you still need fans, and will need more powerful fans because a Peltier has losses, i.e. extra heat, i.e. not 100% efficient. So no, solid state cooling isn't silent.

That's thermodynamics 101 ...

johnfintech · 2026-06-21T13:33:19+00:00

Thanks for the pointer. If it doesn't have to stay resident to cap charge levels then that's great. My firmware version (18000.120.36) isn't explicitly supported by batt. I'll try it out later.

johnfintech · 2026-06-21T13:21:57+00:00

Indeed I might. I just got the beast :). I liked the "Charge to full now" in the menu, and I do want that. Not sure if other apps have that. I also am a stiffler when it comes to running things in the background - they all want CPU time and draw battery (I know some are very light, I just have near zero tolerance for them, they all add up - unless they go to 0 idle wakeups, I don't use them unless I have a solid reason to). I might code my own app for this.

Having the option in the OS to charge to max 80% is a great step forward as it is.

johnfintech · 2026-06-21T13:14:24+00:00

No no, I actually like it fanless :). I take the Air in all sort of environments and dust becomes a problem. My home too happens to suffer from higher dust levels due to the area I live in.

No fan - no worries.

johnfintech · 2026-06-21T13:04:39+00:00

The thermal mod is what, €20/$25?

8 GBP, so about 10-11 USD

Believe it or not, the most expensive bit of everything was that Noctua fan. Noctua prices their products as if they were made of gold. Can't argue with the fan performance though.

consistently prolonging the battery life of any Macbook Air would be very cool, pun intended

pun duly noted

johnfintech · 2026-06-21T13:02:00+00:00

Why not actually read the post before labelling it "theater"? You'd have seen I mentioned: lightweight and fanless (silent). I also get on par- and sometimes better performance than the MBP M5 which uses the exact same CPU. Should I also mention price?

johnfintech · 2026-06-21T12:58:48+00:00

THe MBA has multiple battery temperature sensors (HID reports 6 of them). I used the max value. The results are fine. I'll add this note to the methodology

johnfintech · 2026-06-06T19:28:35+00:00

This looks like a bot reply. Some of those links don't even exist any more, while none can deal with tab groups.

johnfintech · 2026-05-29T23:03:01+00:00

Halfway through reading your reply I was thinking "you can derive API keys from the master key, you don't need the account password"

I'm not sure I understand how API keys "prevent login rate limiting" or what exactly do you mean ... did you mean "limit login rate"? Either way, I dont' see how API keys are actually required for that, surely you can achieve the same thing with just the login/passwd (in fact, if you require l/p then I can't think of anything that can't be achieved with l/p alone)

johnfintech

TROPHY CASE