this post was submitted on 23 Dec 2023
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[–] dylanmorgan@slrpnk.net 97 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Time to start a nonprofit that cleans up old machines and installs Linux on them for deserving poor folks.

[–] Dremor@lemmy.world 22 points 9 months ago

Already done in France by Emmaüs, they even have their own Ubuntu based distro.

[–] SonnyVabitch@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

Be the change etc...

[–] jaypg@lemmy.jaypg.pw 5 points 9 months ago

Tons already exist. If you’re in the Pacific Northwest then make your donations to https://www.freegeek.org

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 79 points 9 months ago (4 children)

The landfill is a rude thing to call linux

[–] oo1@kbin.social 15 points 9 months ago

new fork of legacyOS into LandfillOS.
based on "De Bin"
The only major change needs to be you save stuff by putting it into the wastebasket.

[–] clegko@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Not wrong calling the rabid fan base that though...

[–] GigglyBobble@kbin.social 1 points 9 months ago

Ex-smokers are the most militant non-smokers. Why would it be different for ex Windows users/victims?

[–] _dev_null@lemmy.zxcvn.xyz 4 points 9 months ago

That's what I'm talking about. I just picked up a dell optiplex micro for about $100 on ebay.

Can't wait to see what the corps dump onto the market post-win11 apocalypse!

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[–] nucleative@lemmy.world 56 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Man, we should make computers upgradable or something.

[–] BugFinder@lemmy.world 17 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Wouldn't someone think of the poor shareholders

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[–] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 39 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Send the 7th Gen and better ones to me for plex servers.

[–] seaQueue@lemmy.world 14 points 9 months ago (2 children)

J5005 is a transcoding hero, just point it at a NAS and away you go.

[–] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 14 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Why am I just learning about this $80 thin system right now?

My current server runs around 80 watts idle,but it's also my gaming pc. I'd love to replace it with something dedicated that can handle direct streaming 4k with the occasional transcode around the house, at less wattage.

[–] Finadil@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

Why not a N100 though? Faster, lower TDP, and it's built in graphics supports hardware AV1 decoding (J5005 doesn't).

[–] seaQueue@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Cost. You can pick up a j5005 machine for $35 on eBay.

[–] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Yea, that's what I'm seeing. $200 for an N100 based machine , $80 for a j5005. CAD with shipping.

N100 is technically superior, but my use case is the *arr suite with plex, NAS attached so the j5005 will likely suit no problem.

[–] ArugulaZ@kbin.social 37 points 9 months ago (4 children)

You know who throws away computers? WASTEFUL people. There's always a use for older, "obsolete" technology. Today's tablet could become tomorrow's clock or picture frame. Today's computer could become tomorrow's server or game system or video player. You just have to have a little creativity and some knowledge of tech.

[–] BlackSkinnedJew@lemmynsfw.com 14 points 9 months ago

I used to think the same way as you before realize someone garbage it's someone else treasure, so now I sell anything too old for my uses to add some extra money and get new stuff, usually don't throw away anything, for example I like to disguise old laptops and CPUs to sell the working old parts to people who repair industrial old equipment, plenty of people willing to pay good money for some pieces of old shitty hardware.

[–] Dremor@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago

Unfortunately it isn't always as easy as that. Depending on what broke on the old computer, finding the right replacement part may be a nightmare. You can often find old CPUs on eBay for dirt cheap, but the catch is that there are close to no motherboards available, and the ones that are are way too expensive to be interesting. Moreover, it isn't always interesting to run old hardware for something that is on 24/7. My R5900X NAS sips 75W... At idle. 130W at full power. Depending on your electricity price, it could be more interesting to buy newer, more efficient hardware, than using older ones.

[–] kayazere@feddit.nl 3 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I don’t think it’s fair to blame individual consumers. The whole consumer electrics industry is predicated on planned obsolescence and getting the consumer to buy the latest devices. In reality computers and smartphones have stagnated in terms of functionally for every day people and frequent upgrades aren’t necessary.

Here Microsoft has colluded with hardware manufactures so Windows 11 will obsolete perfectly usable computers. What choice does the consumer have to fight back? Regulation is needed to force consumer electronics to be sustainable and long lasting.

[–] Dablin@kbin.social 2 points 9 months ago

At the end of the day, consumers enable this behaviour by majoratively buying into their bullshit. If people just stopped supporting the bearers of bad practices, companies like Microsoft would change tack in a nano second to remain commercially viable.

[–] DessertStorms@kbin.social 2 points 9 months ago

To add to the valid points others already made - some people simply don't have the inclination or know how, or even just the physical space to store all these old machines. Yet those machines going to landfill are still almost certainly the responsibility of those who not only made them barely last a couple of years, but who invest billions if not trillions on developing a newer version no one wants, and selling it (or forcing it) on people despite no one really needing it..

[–] olafurp@lemmy.world 33 points 9 months ago (6 children)

Installing Linux will save them. 240M computers.

[–] extremelyfasttortoise@lemmy.world 15 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Yeah good luck explaining how to install, use and maintain Linux to people who can barely do email.

[–] olafurp@lemmy.world 8 points 9 months ago (3 children)

I'm not gonna tell them to install Arch from scratch. I'd wipe-install Pop for 10$ because it's literally just clicking "next" a couple of time while watching TV.

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[–] lightnsfw@reddthat.com 1 points 9 months ago

I'll figure it out before dropping 500+ bucks on a new PC.

[–] SereneHurricane@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Oh man. What a headache. I'm a seasoned Linux user but I couldn't get my Nvidia GPU working on my Linux machine.

I had to switch back to Windows to be productive

[–] ahriboy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 9 months ago

Learning how to use open source alternatives to proprietary software on Windows is the starting point before transition to Linux.

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[–] Gnugit@aussie.zone 31 points 9 months ago (1 children)

All those computers would run amazing with Linux.

[–] Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.works 12 points 9 months ago (2 children)

Sure, or just windows 10 even. My custom build still smokes most mid and entry level off the shelf pcs but is ineligible for win11 BS requirements. As a result, my start button is still way over on the left side! What in the hell is the alure of 11 that people feel the need to toss their system? I don't see it.

[–] RmDebArc_5@lemmy.ml 6 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Security updates and general support. That’s basically it

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[–] oo1@kbin.social 4 points 9 months ago

I think the "researchers" may not actually have gathered any data on what actually happens in these types of scenarios. beyond people just keeping on with old os which a lot will unless MS intentionally sends out a brick-update.
lots of countires/municipalities have WEE programmes to try to prevent electronics from getting to landfil - especially until things like batteries and other toxic or dangerous chemicals can be removed.

Or the headline is pure clickbait garbage - it's bad enough that i'm not going to bother clicking and read any more filth.

[–] spyd3r@sh.itjust.works 25 points 9 months ago

Send Windows 11 and their stupid trusted computing initiative to the landfill instead.

[–] super_user_do@feddit.it 9 points 9 months ago

Finally cheaper hardware in the used market

[–] MaximilianKohler@lemmy.world 9 points 9 months ago (1 children)

It was said in the previous thread that the TPM and Microsoft account requirements can be overridden with Rufus, so anyone can update to Win 11.

[–] flumph@programming.dev 12 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Sure, but Windows 11 is a pain in the ass. My Internet was lagging the other day so my start menu wouldn't find a locally installed program because it couldn't search the Internet too.

[–] mavu@discuss.tchncs.de 7 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Windows 11, finally bringing the year of Linux on the desktop.

[–] hperrin@lemmy.ml 5 points 9 months ago

I think most people would rather throw away their computer than learn to click a different icon.

[–] BoastfulDaedra@lemmynsfw.com 5 points 9 months ago

Know what? Just send them to me.

[–] FrankTheHealer@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago

Microsoft: Okay (Forces everyone on W11 anyway)

[–] Oha@lemmy.ohaa.xyz 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)
[–] Ultragramps@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 9 months ago

I am prepared to pick them up and show some leg, as a bonus.

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