[GTALUG] Advice -- Building Debian 8 PC To Replace Win XP PC;

[Steve Petrie, P.Eng.]

Hello Russell,

Thanks for your response.

My comments are inline below.

Steve

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Russell Reiter" <rreiter91 at gmail.com>
To: "GTALUG Talk" <talk at gtalug.org>; "Steve Petrie, P.Eng."
<apetrie at aspetrie.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2016 4:50 PM
Subject: Re: [GTALUG] Advice -- Building Debian 8 PC To Replace Win XP
PC;


> On Jul 26, 2016 9:39 AM, "Steve Petrie, P.Eng. via talk"
> <talk at gtalug.org>
> wrote:
>>
>> Hello Russel,
> <snip>
>>>
>>
>> I get nervous when I read "standoofs, odd screws, little odds and
>> ends"
>
> That's OK as Lennart pointed out name brand stuff usually comes
> complete
> with the necessary parts.
>
> However in twenty five years of tinkering and a couple of hundred
> builds,

Just curious -- did you build those "couple of hundred builds" all for
personal use?

> I've learned to plan for my own fumbling fingers and trying to mix and
> match from different supply streams.
>

It's the "fumbling fingers" and "mix and match" that makes me inclined
to use a commercial builder.

However, I received (26 July 2016) a very disappointing quotation from
NCIX. Hugely expensive, with substitutions (and omissions). So be
assured, I am still open to building myself.

>> ...
>>
>> Hacklab -- I remember vaguely reading about them. Thanks for the
>> reminder.
>
> I brought them up because GTALUG doesn't have a particular place of
> their
> own. I checked the Hacklab website and it looks like the list
> administrators have their monthly meeting at that location.
>

Yes, I suspected that GTALUG has no permanent space, so the idea of a
GTALUG-provided system building "clinic" for WinXP "orphans" would be
impractical.

> Also FYI Tuesdays after 6pm is the open house.
>
> https://hacklab.to/
>

I looked at the website -- amazing !! Reminds me of my 1960s "hippie
commune" days. Only Hacklab seems much more grown-up and productive of
real results, than us incredibly naive "sex, drugs & rock'n'roll" hippie
types were ...

One issue with Hacklab is logistics -- I own no car (transit & walking
since 2004) and no longer have a valid driver's license (no car
rentals). I live in Oakville, so after I order and accumulate all the
parts at my apartment, I would need to get them (and myself) to Hacklab
without paying an outrageous taxicab fare. Oh, but there's that
new-fangled thing called Uber ...

Ideally, for operational flexibility, it would be good to have use of
some small temporary secure storage space at Hacklab. I'll check this
out if I decide to build the Linux PC myself.

>>
>> If I do decide to build the new Linux PC myself, I will check out
>> Hacklab. And find my "build buddy(ies)" on GTALUG :)
>
> I live close to that location so if it is just unfamiliarity with the
> build
> process and it can be done there, I'd be happy to lend a hand at some
> point.
>

Really appreciate your generous offer.

If I decide to build the Linux PC myelf at Hacklab, I will contact you
offline.

>>
>>
>>> HTH
>>> Russell
>>>
>>> <snip the end>
>>>
>>
>> ---
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>> talk at gtalug.org
>> https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
>