Notices by Brian Sullivan (briansullivan@mastodon.sdf.org)

@publius Well I can vaguely recall main frame disks in the 20mb range so life (and technology) always changes.

I have an old unused Windows PC that I would like to wipe and replace the OS with some sort of Linux. I need something that will be relatively easy and quick to get running (and hopefully have graphic interface of some kind)

My purpose is just to play. I have 0 Linux experience but a whole life/career in software/technology.

Looking for recommendations, urls and instructions.

#linux

@ParadeGrotesque The machine is an old desktop currently running Windows 10 — I haven’t really used it (except to use its many USB ports to power and change various random devices) for 4 to 5 years. I really don’t need anything currently on the machine (including Windows itself) so I am happy just to wipe the existing Windows disk.

Should I start by downloading one of the distributions to the Windows machine or another machine and attempt to boot from a USB drive?

@lauren Some are much more. I usually buy inexpensive Chinese Android phones. The only negative is after sales support for them is bordering on 0.

Also paying more than $30 or so a month on a phone plan is often (except in a few specialized cases) a waste of money.

@dalias Maybe but I have more than a passing understanding, having maintained DNS for multiple domains over the years.

@dalias Control of the domain or physical internet infrastructure does not imply shutdown though? Other large dictatorships (China and Russia for example) control and monitor internal communications effectively without destroying them completely.

@dalias Don't see how it can happen quickly enough. If the current US government seizes the domain infrastructure how does communication move elsewhere? And big complicit telecommunication companies control the physical infrastructure.. you think they will resist?

@dalias @lauren Lots on distributed platforms (like the one we are using) do. And the owned centralized platforms have complicit owners. I am not sure what you are implying.

Some non Internet based communication? Non DNS based Internet?

@dalias @lauren The DNS infrastructure is completely US government accessible. They seize domains all the time. Other governments control and monitor all internal communications .. you are thinking that it won't or can't happen?

@dalias @lauren But both sides have access to that information infrastructure. And the government side likely has the upper hand.

@lauren There's a Catch 22 here though. More demonstrations will be used as a pretense by Trump to send troops elsewhere. I don't have a solution though so maybe escalation is the only way forward.

@lauren Took 20 years though.

@GottaLaff There is not much lawful that Democrats (or anybody for that matter) can do. Trump is president, has lackeys, toadies and brown nosers controlling congress and the Supreme Court and will soon have all cabinet positions and critical civil service totally submissive.

Short of armed rebellion what do you suggest?

Too good not to share.

#crypto #pyramid #ponzi

@skinnylatte Hmm and who will control the department of labor? It seems like a loophole big enough to drive a truck through.

@carnage4life Who defines "prevailing wage"?

@evan It's not like ChatGPT is guaranteed to be correct. I fed it the exact question you asked in your post.

@evan The property you're describing is called a subadditive property.

In a subadditive set, no individual element is greater than the sum (or combined size) of all the other elements in the set.

(ChatGPT’s answer anyway).

@JustOneMoreThing Busy <> productive.

@georgetakei Passive aggressive living next to a passive aggressive?