Fastfetch: High-Performance Alternative to Neofetch for System Information Display

Yesterday I wrote about Neofetch which is a tool that I have used in the past on Linux systems I owned. It was an easy way to provide a good snapshot of the distribution I was running and some other pertinent information about my computing environment. One of my readers replied to let me know … Read more

In search of the right GPU

I rely on my powerful Intel NUC with an i7 processor and 64 GB of RAM for my daily computing needs. However, it lacks a GPU, which makes it unsuitable for the experimentation I’ve been conducting with locally hosted large language models. To address this, I use an M2 MacBook Air, which has the necessary … Read more

Breaking Free from the Cloud: Exploring the Benefits of Local,Open-Source AI with Ollama

Everywhere you look, someone is talking or writing about artificial intelligence. I have been keenly interested in the topic since my graduate school days in the 1990s. I have used ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Claude, Stable Diffusion, and other AI software to experiment with how this technology works and satisfy my innate curiosity. Recently, I discovered … Read more

The Freedom of Linux: A World Beyond Hardware Restrictions

In the ever-evolving world of technology, software updates often bring excitement and anticipation as they promise new features and improvements. However, with operating system updates for proprietary operating systems, the excitement can be tempered by stringent hardware requirements that leave many users facing the inevitable need for a new computer. Fortunately, an alternative,  the Linux … Read more

WoeUSB-ng to the rescue

Frequently, I’m approached by individuals seeking assistance in rescuing Windows computers that have encountered locking or damage issues. I occasionally utilize a Linux USB boot drive to access Windows partitions effectively. This enables me to transfer and safeguard files from these compromised systems securely. Sometimes, clients misplace their passwords or lock themselves out of their … Read more

Reviving a ‘Dead’ Laptop: A Linux Mint Success Story at the Local Library

An urgent plea for assistance reached me from our local library director concerning a patron grappling with an unresponsive Dell laptop. Upon arriving at the library, I encountered the early-morning visitor facing this issue. Activating the laptop, it became evident that it refused to boot, displaying no prompts to access the startup disk via F1 … Read more

Customize an Intel NUC 11

In the previous year, I acquired a Hewlett-Packard DevOne to replace an Intel NUC 10, which had been serving as my primary workstation. I set up the DevOne with a docking solution detailed in an article I wrote last year, aiming to replace both the NUC and an older Darter Pro I had been using. … Read more