I first used XFCE on my old 700mhz processor Thinkpad back in the day. Back then, Gnome and especially KDE were known to use excessive resources on low-end machines so XFCE was preferred.

However, I actually quite liked the DE so I just switched to it permanently, even on my more capable machines. I’ve been running XFCE for around 15 years 😆

"Put yourself under the command of the United States, if it is still there"

JFC nuclear weapons are horrifying

Yes exactly. Before I got my current Pixel 7a I tried to flash a used Pixel 6a (Verizon variant) and ran into the problems above.

Without an unlocked bootloader the install process will fail at step two, Enabling OEM unlocking, of the install guide at https://grapheneos.org/install/web.

The OEM unlocking setting in developer options will be grayed out on all Verizon devices, even if you paid full price for an unlocked phone (not on a payment plan - some OEMs also lock phones while under contract so you can’t steal the phone and stop paying. Verizon just locks them all regardless).

There are numerous websites with dodgy software that claim they can bypass the restriction, but in my experience 100% of them are scams. Sometimes well meaning redditors will tell you they got theirs working, but they’re conflating OEM unlocking and carrier unlocking (which, so I’ve read, Verizon employees are specifically trained to conflate)

Unique to the Pixel line, you actually can re-lock the bootloader. So if you can manage ADB fastboot (that is, follow the install process) then I wouldn’t worry about the security risk in this case.

The GrapheneOS installation process is exceptionally easy to follow. It’s much faster and easier than the old Cyanogenmod days

The specific variant is usually listed by the seller. On Amazon if you’re buying it used I believe it would be listed near the condition information from the specific merchant.

You may also be able to message them to ask. The model number is printed on the outside of the original box, and is also available in the About Phone settings page, so it should be easy for the seller to find it.

The model number to avoid is G0DZQ.

GWKK I think is the ideal version, especially if you’re traveling overseas. This is the global version so it should have the most radio bands available.

GWKK3 (AT&T version) should work great in the US on a non-Verizon network.

I have the G82U8 version, which apparently was originally for the Japanese market, but it works great for me in the US. I’m using Mint Mobile with GrapheneOS.

(Source https://www.phonemore.com/models/google/pixel-7a/)

Stay away from any that are the “Verizon version”

Verizon deliberately conflates the term unlocked to mean not locked to a carrier (can use a non-Verizon SIM) instead of the bootloader being unlocked (can install a custom OS ROM such as GrapheneOS or LineageOS).

Their “unlocked” phones are all locked, so if you want a new OS that doesn’t have their closed-source spyware then F you for buying the Verizon version

Be careful with the declining part. I believe some companies, notably gym memberships, have ways to make your life difficult if your payment doesn’t go through

If I remember correctly, old timey glass kerosene lanterns also have backwards threads for some reason

When I got LASIK I wasn’t allowed to wear contacts for a few weeks before the surgery. I bought the cheapest pair of glasses from Zenni. I had new glasses for $17 + $10 shipping.

If I had to do it again I would have my IPD measured by a proper optometrist first. I just guessed at it and got ones a little too small, so they had a kind of fisheye effect.

Still, for <$30 it was a great bargain

It’s the Swiss Army CHAINSAW!

Is it Dominic Turetto’s car from the first Fast and the Furious movie?

Human Centipede is a tour-de-force

It’s also about making sure you can’t sue them, even if they did something wrong, even if they did it on purpose, even if they knew it was wrong when they did it.

Instead you must agree to “binding arbitration”, so that if you lose they get to learn what strategy works against customers, and if you win they get to learn what strategy doesn’t work against customers (but in any case the details cannot be shared with other customers).

Also, you can never participate in a class action suit, so even if they did do something wrong, on purpose, and you convinced a -judge- arbiter, you just get the $12 judgment, or whatever the value is of your actual damages. The corporation can keep the $12 they stole from each of their millions of other customers, who didn’t also start arbitration.

It is shocking that it is even legal

The -p <port> option can be used to specify the port number to connect to when using the ssh command on Linux. The -P <port> (note: capital P) option can be used with SFTP and scp.

Why is it that the switch on ssh is -p but in scp/sftp it is -P?

This has caused me a real headache in the past as ssh doesn’t throw an error message when you use a switch like “ssh -P 8080”

“an sequel”? Tell me I haven’t been saying it wrong this whole time 💀

God bless America

Don’t have to wait in line if you can’t afford to go in the first place

Taps head

I misunderstood what “war machine” meant.

I heard phrases on TV like “it cost $1 billion dollars per month to keep the war machine running” and “the US captured 100,000 barrels of oil per day to feed the war machine” and I thought this thing must be some epic beast.

The terrorists better watch out! We’re sending the war machine! It must have, like, sawblade hands and tank tracks and breathe fire and have machine gun turrets.

Imagine my disappointment when I learned that THE WAR MACHINE was just a metaphor and not a Mecha Godzilla

Is this post a paradox?

TIL about error 418:

“I’m a teapot This server is a teapot, and it cannot brew coffee.”

Apparently it was originally added as an April fools joke way back in 1998 but technically it is a valid error message that sites can actually use!