CatZoomies

You don't choose them, they choose you

Source: Happy Gilmore (1996)

What's up, guys, gals, and non-binary pals? I switched from Windows 10 to Linux Mint back in December 2024, and I catalogued my experiences in these posts:

• Alright you nerds, I made the jump to Linux.
• Alright nerds, I installed Linux Mint on my MacBook Pro

Just wanted to let you nerds know that everything has been running flawlessly. I can play any game I have, and none of my productivity is blocked. Doesn't matter whether it's all my ROMs I archived, my Steam games, GOG games, whatever. Linux plays them, and performance is fantastic. I don't play any anti-cheat games as the only one I do play periodically is Overwatch, and it runs perfect.

I can without a doubt now say that I will never go back to Windows. Should have switched years ago!

Build specs (the full list is in my first post linked above):

• CPU 9800x3d
• GPU RX 7900 XTX

Here are some issues I still can't solve on Linux Mint:

• Can't control my GPU fans
• Can't control my case fans
• Can't bind my case fans to ramp up with GPU load

I've tried CoreCTRL and so many other solutions I read online, and none of them work. Problem for another day! So all I've done for now is increase the count of intake fans I have and set it to a good speed to move plenty of air (but also set my exhaust fans higher to help counter and ensure proper positive pressure airflow. I have too many fans to get the ideal balance of neutral air flow). GPU runs with OEM fan speeds.

Edit: There's a bug in pasting instance agnostic links, so I just added direct URLs to my instance posts.

It's Pi Hole. Everything's computer.

i'm reppin ex cedrin

In the spirit of my previous post about switching to Linux Mint, I decided I'd go ahead and re-purpose my old computer.

Introducing: Apple MintBook Pro (13 inch, Mid 2012)

I think you nerds are gonna love it. I can actually do light gaming on this, too. Runs surprisingly fast, too!

Unlike modern day Apple, this MacBook was always fun to work on because you can easily swap parts without worrying about cloud activation locks, soldered RAM, glued batteries with self-destruct, etc. I dropped in a new aftermarket battery that took me five minutes to replace, upgraded the RAM, and slapped in a higher capacity SSD than what I originally bought this with back in the day.

My MintBook Pro runs fantastic, especially on Linux Mint 22.1 Xia with the new battery performance modes. Can't wait to use this more!

I tused to sit in a drawer as ewaste since the last possible compatible Mac OS version on this computer ran terrible and made my MacBook Pro unusable. Now that I upgraded to a MintBook Pro, the performance is incredible! Going to use this for when I need a computer away from my desk. Nice to have one for the couch that functions as an actual laptop!

Specs:

• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2012)
• 13.3-in LED display at 1280x800 (LOL)
• Intel i5-3210M @ 2.5 GHz
• 8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz (we ballin' boys)
• 1 TB SSD Samsung 850 EVO I think
• CD/DVD burner (yass slay queen)
• Intel HD Graphics 4000 (i can play Stardew Valley with so many frames, biggest frames ever)
• This bad boy has the MagSafe power connector (my favorite back in the day) and firewire! Remember firewire?

Edit: Lemmy.world is having issues with uploading photos, so here's some links instead for two more pics:

• https://files.catbox.moe/lvrsz3.png
• https://files.catbox.moe/xjfea2.png

Source: https://pixelfed.social/i/web/post/789916747522322337

I accidentally cut my thumb with a peeler while preparing lunch. I cleaned my work area, cleaned the wound, and put a bandage on my thumb to stop the bleeding. It didn’t stick to my skin very well, so I used another bandage to secure the bandage. They are a value brand I got on sale a few years ago, so I’m grateful for my economical decisions.

The cut stings a bit, but I’ll be okay. It’s my non-dominant hand.

I don’t believe this will prevent me from other activities I have planned for this weekend.

I've been a Windows user all my life and had dabbled in the Apple ecosystem for a bit. With the upcoming end of support for Windows 10 in Oct 2025, I figured I'd put myself through a huge challenge of cutting over completely to LInux without a secondary backup drive with Win 10 on it. If I could survive the struggles for a few months, I'd be golden, and if I couldn't, then I could switch to Windows 10 LTSC and be good until 2029. The intention was to completely force myself in without a backup plan - the only way out would be to install a new Windows OS. I chose Linux Mint after careful consideration, especially considering that there's tons of resources and help with this distro, and it's a great onboarding ramp for Windows users. I need the familiarity since I'm in tech full time and just don't have the energy to hassle with my PC after a long stressful day at work.

I also used this as a good excuse to upgrade my PC a bit, too. 😀

After switching in mid December, I'm happy to report that I'm still alive after 30 days. My computer hasn't killed me. And I've been able to do work and game on my PC without too many hiccups. Marvel Rivals still crashes ever since the Season 1 update. Overwatch works perfect. My other games, on both Steam and GOG, work perfectly fine. But I haven't been able to test every game out there, but I know I can use Proton DB if needed.

I even edited this screenshot in GIMP after being forged in the fires of Macromedia Fireworks and Photoshop all my life! I even stripped exif data using command line tools! I even installed this cool neofetch thing that I always saw in people screenshots of their PC or whatever, every time I saw someone's Linux build with their thigh high socks and neofetch on the terminal!

But so far, switching to Linux Mint has been great! I'm excited to deep dive more!

Note:

• I backed up all my data from Windows into a USB drive. I'm slowly bringing all that stuff over to my Linux Mint computer and rebuilding my music, video, photos, etc. Lot of work, but it's so cool feeling so liberated!
• I may also want help from you Linux nerds from time to time. I'll make posts/memes begging for help when I get desperate. But so far, almost every issue I've had has been resolved via an internet search!
• I pray that I won't come crawling back to Windows. I don't expect that to happen with how great my experience has been thus far.

Specs:

• Linux Mint 22
• Ryzen 7 9800x3d
• Thermalright Phantom Spirit
• MSI X670e Carbon WiFi
• Sapphire Nitro+ RX7900 XTX
• Corsair Vegeance 64 GB DDR5-7200
• Gen 5 Crucial T700 (?) M.2 x 2
• Corsair 5000d
• Noctua case fans (Lian Li too problematic on Linux based on all the research I did in advance)
• Seasonic Focus Gold 1000W

Old Specs Everything the same as above apart from:

• Windows 10 Pro
• Intel i7-12700k
• Noctua NH-U12A
• MSI Pro Z690-A
• MSI RTX 3080 Gaming Z Trio
• Samsung Gen 3/4 M.2
• Corsair Vengeance Pro 32 GB DDR4-3600
• Lian Li AL120 case fans

Meme:

Taylor Swift meme. The top-half of the meme is a screenshot of Taylor Swift's music video "ME!", where Taylor is being lifted above a crowd while she sings. The caption reads "2019 Taylor: 'Hey, kids! Spelling is fun!' " The bottom-half of the meme is official art of Taylor featured in her 2024 album "THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY". Taylor Swift faces away from the camera and appears somber and sad. The text imposed on the bottom-half of the image reads "2024 Taylor: 'D-Y-I-N-G.'". This is a lyric from her song "How Did it End?"

Meme Context (for those that don't know much about Taylor at all and can only name one song - "Shake it Off")

The 2019 picture is from her album "Lover", where she feels she's in a great relationship and made several smash hit songs such as "Lover" and "ME!", a song famously embracing and celebrating inclusivitiy and the LGBTQ+ community. If you or someone you knew was married in 2019/2020, chances are you heard Lover played during the celebrations.

The 2024 picture is from her album "THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT" from 2024. The text is her singing a lyric where she spells the word "Dying", from her honest and poetic song "How Did It End?" In this song, she reflects on her relationship that did not work out, and sings that while she doesn't fully understand why the relationship ended (as she's conducting the post-mortem), everyone is only concerned about gossiping and trying to figure out how it ended.

"Say it once again with feeling
How the death rattle breathing
Silenced as the soul was leaving
The deflation of our dreaming
Leaving me bereft and reeling
My beloved ghost and me
Sitting in a tree
D-Y-I-N-G"

Taylor Swift: "How Did It End?" (Official Lyric Video) - https://youtu.be/O3wlMR0y4a4

Duration: 4:02

I've been relistening to THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY and think it's one of the most honest, self-reflecting, and transparent albums I've ever listened to. Thought I'd make a meme because I just heard this song again and came up with this joke (that probably someone else already beat me to the punch, but here we are).