So now that I am now effectively priced out of upgrading my hardware...

So now that I am now effectively priced out of upgrading my hardware...

Hopefully we'll see some additional attention turned towards software optimization.

I remember the day maybe a decade(?) or so ago, when Linux seemingly overnight improved their boot system to the point that a cold boot to desktop took something like 10 seconds, compared to Windows' 2+ minutes. Hopefully we'll see some crazy improvements like that soon, now that we can't just throw more money at faster consumer hardware.

My HTPC is old, I think it has one of the first AMD Ryzen CPUs. It runs decently well on Ubuntu, but it's sounding like I'm going to have to be reliant on this PC for another 5-10 years.

P.S. when I built that PC I remember saying 2GB ought to be enough for anybody

@julian I hear you. I hope I can still do things based on my existing desktop hardware.

I probably should have bought 2x16GB RAM when I had the chance. I kept avoiding heading to MicroCenter (since the store is so convenient for me), and the longer I wait, then I probably won’t find anything that is compatible with my motherboard. I also need to do the same with my HP laptop.

It’s one of the reasons I don’t run more than two electron apps or have Slack running 24/7.

My HTPC has long since been scavenged for spare parts, but it was a core 2 duo with an improvised low-height wireless card.

I plan to scale horizontally with all those old PCs that won't run windows 11.

hahaha you can do that?! That sounds like fun, I have like three or four towers just sitting around.

For servers, yes. Not so easy for desktop usage!

@julian love that you're channeling this into optimism for software breakthroughs—that linux boot time memory is such a perfect example of the magic that can happen.

@julian so currently a fairly reasonably spec'd Framework laptop would run you about $3500, which is about on par with a fairly reasonably spec'd refurbed MacBook Pro from 2025

It is a cost, sure, but it's one that lowers your taxes (as a freelancer) and one that lasts for hopefully 5-8 years. I think we will see more optimisation hopefully, but in the meantime, hardware hasn't become a whole heap more expensive (I remember each of my Mac's costing in the ~3000 range).

@thisismissem now that I'm in the Framework ecosystem I should be able to just buy a new mainboard if I want to upgrade, which is the theory, anyway.

My current plan is to turn my old mainboard into my next HTPC, although it would mean giving up my cable card