Permacomputing

[m1k3]

@PurpleHello98 That's great! I can attest to it working really well and better than you might think on heavy sites. I currently use a ThinkPad x230 (over 10 years old) that I got off of eBay for about $100 and it works great with any site. The memory was upgraded to 8GB and it now has an SSD which makes a big difference. Love the keyboard on this thing.

[Spots]

I discovered permacomputing through the Uxn project and I think it's a really cool concept. I was interested in developing my own permacomputing-related project at one point, but I never got around to it.

[serenefork]

Permacomputing isn't a term I had heard before, but is something that just makes sense to me. I always used whatever hand-me-down I got from my family. It makes to keep using something that still works. I'd love to get an older PC when I finally do get my own PC.

[Plasmon]

I fuck with the idea of permacomputing heavily, but unfortunately the kinds of tasks I do—a lot of scientific computing—require beefier hardware, and therefore more energy usage, more processing power, and all that. But, yeah, I think that permacomputing should be the standard—along with that we need to look into more efficient ways of designing computers and electronics, as well as recycling parts in the future.

[ctrl-shift-esc]

I've been sort of doing permacomputing accidentally for years and years. Actually, I take pride in my knowledge of computer hardware in that I know what sort of a machine is more than good enough for any specific purpose, and I'm perhaps way more tolerable on low end parts and devices than the average tech enthusiast it seems. I am not a computer expert by any means, but I would say I am more knowledgeable than the average person on the streets. Something like an intermediate computer expert, kinda of a pro, kind of a noob 

When I think about it, the last system (cpu + motherboard + case) I brought brand new was a Core 2 Duo E6600 back in like, 2006-2007? Because I wanted to play Crysis  If I recall correctly, something happened to my system at the time which was an AMD Athlon 64 3000+? I think the motherboard might have fried or something else? My memory is kind of fuzzy 

The last GPUs that I bought brand new were a Nvidia 8800 GTS in 2006-2007 (for Crysis), a Nvidia GTX 260 a couple of years later purely because my 8800 GTS broke  and then I got an AMD RX 580 in 2019 or 2020 before the prices went crazy due to covid, because my second hand gpu at the time broke down (it was an Nvidia GTX 580) and I wanted something to last for a long time.

I used a second-hand CRT monitor up and until late 2019, but had to get rid of it because it was making horrible screeching noises and I was afraid it was gonna implode or something so I bought my first ever LCD monitor at that time and have stuck with it since. I got an LCD because there weren't any reasonably priced and good enough CRTs at the time where I lived.

But for most of anything else? I have been very lucky in that regard, I have acquired a skill to have old and unused computer hardware being thrown my way. Family members, co-workers, acquintances, I've managed to get a lot of stuff for either free or for very cheap. You would be surprised that most people consider perfectly functional components and devices to be obsolete! Even if you don't have the same kinda luck when it comes to social connections, you can easily purchase second hardware for a lot more bang-for-the-buck prices than brand new stuff, especially if you don't have a specific purpose that requires high end hardware.

I'm very frugal with my money and hardware and generally make purchases on an as-needed basis and if there isn't any other reasonable solution. Most of my systems are from around 2009-2012, with the newest one being a machine with a Core i3-4130 from 2013-2014. They still work perfectly fine for everyday purposes and even gaming if you manage your expectations. I can't play the latest and greatest, but, first of all, it ain't necessarily the greatest  and even if it is, well, that's life. I can wait. There are other things to do and even in the world of gaming, the back catalogue is absolutely massive and more than I can ever play in my lifetime.

Another area I apply this in is Android smartphones. I have had the same luck of getting people's old phones second hand. I've actually only bought two brand new smartphones, ever, a Samsung Galaxy Core Prime in 2016 and a Motorola Moto G31 in 2022. Other than that, I just use them until they break, the battery life becomes intolerable or there is an application that requires a newer version of Android that I have.

I have several concerns when it comes to Android phones. First of all, having a non-replaceable battery is something that never should have been allowed. The manufacturers kinda sneaked that in, along with no headphone jacks and no sd card slots, and everything else... And the consumers just, well, they just gotta take what they can get. Second, the software updates - the fact that the manufacturers aren't forced to support the devices with OS upgrades, and with the increasingly locked bootloaders, it means that they are essentially plannedly obsolete. They are going to become paperweights sooner or later. Third, the fact that we've kind of moved into a society that kind of soft requires or at least very heavily implies that you just gotta basically own a smartphone, carry it around everywhere and use it for many things is very problematic to me. With the added two points, it is essentially routine forced consumption of high tech devices, the manufacture of which is terrible for the planet. It's kinda like with cars, first they are optional, but then the society is designed around them so now you gotta basically own one unless you live in a city with good public transport or you are capable and willing of making serious compromises when it comes to mobility. The same situation is with smartphones now (and unfortunately, also with social media and big tech apps like Whatsapp and the entire Google ecosystem...) and I fear it will get even worse than it is now... For a positive news, I'm hearing that the EU is planning on forcing phone manufacturers to give users easily replaceable batteries and force longer OS updates, well, that's a definite EU win 

So yeah, smartphones are computers so the same strategy applies. Though with computers I tend to go for devices and parts with the intent of, well, basically buy-it-for-life mentality - I know they will not last forever, but I tend to go with things that I intend to use until they break down, whenever that is. I have hard drives from the mid 00s in active use. I have ps/2 keyboards and mice. Two of my LCD monitors are from the early 00s. My (barely functional) headphone amplifier is from the early 90s. Etc etc. With Android smartphones, I usually go for the cheapest one that has tolerable specs because it's a disposable device by design, so I don't waste money on them and I don't want to send the corporations a message that I'm fine with spending 1000€ on a disposable computer. The same reason I prefer desktops over laptops, laptop batteries go bad really quickly. I have two second hand laptops, but the batteries are dead and they need constant power to stay on, and I have no intention on replacing the batteries, probably ever. If you are in a life situation where you need a laptop that has a functional battery, like school etc, I can totally understand that however.

When it comes to power consumption, well Android smartphones use astonishingly small amount of energy. A 10 watt charger that charges a phone to full in 2 hours? That's basically nothing. With traditional x86 computers, I find that their energy use is mostly overblown. I don't excessively use them or waste energy though, I do turn them off when I don't need them. I don't have a Raspberry Pi or any of the low-powered mini PCs, because I find that getting second hand x86 computers is way too easy and cheap (free even, in many of my experiences) and in my mind it still is always ecologically better to buy or get second hand components and use what you've got when it comes to such high tech devices, especially since I live in a country that has a high amount of sustainable energy production in the power grid (nuclear, wind, hydro) and I have solar panels so my energy consumption is not that big of an issue, but getting like, brand new chinese computer parts made with coal energy kinda is more of an issue tbh... 

Edit: Also, it is quite fun to repurpose old Android phones to specific-task devices. For example, I have one phone as a dedicated timer in my kitchen, for cooking and caffeinated beverage brewing  I have another phone as a dedicated audiobook listening device for my kids, with the audiobooks as offline audio files on the phone and then they use VLC Media Player to listen to them  Then one of my phones is for video and audio consumption around the house and during bedtime for me, so I don't have to burn through the battery on my main phone and I can be distraction free, because I only use like NewPipe (alternative Youtube client) and VLC on it I'm sure there are many other use cases for them.