i am evaluating endless os (basic install, not the kitchen sink version) right now. i have bunch of soon-to-be obsolete desktops and laptops i need to find something other than windows to load. i am very impressed so far. it’s nearly everything i’m looking for for these systems and their future home users.

it’s nearly as ‘simple’ as a chromebook but is based on debian, so it can do more than chromeos. but because of the ostree base, verified flatpak applications, and simplified desktop and ui, it’s a lot harder for a typical home user to ‘break’ than windows.

the ‘full’ endless install with lots of extra programs and offline content might pick up a few fans, too. parts of my area still don’t have faster-than-dialup internet available.

i had been set on peppermint for the lowest spec’d systems (things like c2d 4gb/hdd) and cinnamint for the others (mostly 2nd-6th gen, 4-8gb, some have sata ssd), but endless might just end up on everything unless someone specifically requests different.

i sure hope they aren’t still the same specs (ancient celeron 2gb/32gb flash) for $1100+. but kinda suspect they might be.

endless os is somewhat chromeos like, but based on debian. read-only ostree debian stable base, flatpak applications, simplified desktop and ui.

use the 4gb ‘basic’ installer iso unless you want a lot of extra programs and offline content included right out of the box. and note it’s definitely not those who like to tinker and change everything. endless is locked down pretty tight so it’s harder to break, but that means less flexibility and very few customization options.

i just finished a single month here, first one in a couple years. ran out of stuff by week three. it’ll be at least another 2-3 years before another binge month, if i ever go back at all.

they already make significantly more profits off of each ad-tier sub than they do the ad-free… yet it still isn’t enough. greedy fucking bastards.

the number of years i’ve run usb->sata adapters and had (up to a dozen or so) bare drives laying around and propped up anywhere i could find a spot…

you aren’t putting a 3.5in in that slimline bay. you might be able to rig something to hold one there, though. that’s where the get ‘‘creative’’ part comes in.

you also have the 2x2.5in at the bottom but you’re missing the rails or caddies for them. should be like 5-6 bucks each or so on ebay or azn. don’t bother with those, though, unless you’re putting in hdd there. sata ssd can just be stuffed in the cage, they ain’t going anywhere.

be careful with whatever mb->sata power cables you have. make sure they’re the correct ones, as they aren’t all the same. you could get away with a 1->2 sata power splitter once on each mb power connection, as the output of each is designed for 2x3.5in hdd anyway.

edit: just looked at a similar model here. removing the slimline optical and stuffing a 3.5in hdd there will obstruct the cpu hsf a bit. might have to swap that for a lower profile cooler to put the drive there… BUT. if you take out the existing hdd (because its caddy thing gets in the way), there is just enough room along the flipout bit between that hdd bay and the 2.5in cage below to fit a 3.5in. would need a little ‘modification’ to the case there to rig a mount for it. but it fits. then the existing hdd can slide back in. (see pic, the ancient seagate hdd is placed in that space)

you’re talking the ‘RED’ series inspiron minitower?

iirc there’s only one 3.5in bay adjacent to the slimline optical bay, and two 2.5in bays in a cage at the bottom front.

bays use drive rails which may or may not be present if the bay was unpopulated when originally shipped.

the pc uses 12vo power supply, so the drives are powered off the motherboard. those cables may also not be present if they weren’t needed for the original configuration.

slimline optical bays can often be filled with a caddy designed fit in the form factor, connecting to the optical power and sata, and hold a 2.5in ssd drive.

you will have to get ‘‘creative’’ to securely mount more than one 3.5in hdd inside.

if a specific format isn’t requested or required, and the formatted text document is not expected to be edited by the recipient–only read, possibly by computer, or printed, i would default to using a pdf.

besides these–which i occasionally use the oem option with… i just put endless on one here, it also sets up the initial user during the first boot after install.

the oem install option that is available with ubuntu and some ubuntu-based ones lets you do some initial extra package installs and stuff, though. you run a command linked on the oeminstall desktop when you’re finished with your ‘preinstall’.

You mean they’re going to turn Androids into Chromebooks

android is getting ‘desktop’ features so it can replace chrome os, and to keep pace with apple–who’s doing similar things with ios

they could have kept the skype name on the ‘consumer’ product, even if underneath it was the same piece of shit teams, just with ‘enterprise’ features hidden.

if you’ve already got something running 24/7, you could just put it there. it doesn’t need much for resources.

pihole does not need it’s own box. it can run as a container (docker instructions in the official docs) or in a small vm.

i have two small vm running dietpi and used that to install pihole. i fully expected to run a few more things on them, that’s why i chose dietpi–just have never gotten that far (it’s only been like three years now).

munching on all that sweet government data that’s been swiped by the muskrat goon squad.

better upgrade to a zip drive then!

i got floppy drives and cables, and at least a couple vintage minitowers with them here… but alas, no epic floppy disk cameras.

anything ‘worthwhile’ is probably gonna use a lot of power, burn through bandwidth, or not exactly completely legit and legal.

to monetize the piracy of your users

that’s generally what gets sites and services in ‘trouble’

he’s a minority owner, don’t think he himself even holds a majority of voting shares outright–there’s some bullshit and shenanigans going on that gives him the ‘control’. iirc, it requires near-90% approval of all non-musk held voting shares to make ‘major’ changes like ousting a board member or ceo. that’s why he’s still ‘in charge’

instead of having 12984 tabs open, you can have 345 groups with only a few dozen tabs in each one.