If you are on stock software on EOL device you are not getting os updates either.

Also a bunch of recent vulns were in SoC specific stuff - outside os.

No security fixes once the device reaches end of life. For pixel 4a end of security updates was 10 months ago. That mostly is a problem with malicious apps - there were some privilege escalation bugs in those 10 months - but sometimes you get a banger that can get exploited by simply loading a page or opening an image.

Something more like this https://a.co/d/0bgPCSvQ - it should use half the power, it’s way smaller, 2x SATA if you want 2 drives. I haven’t checked if this specific one is 12V, but there are dozens in the same form factor and with similar specs.

There are a lot of atom or mobile i3/i5 powered mini PCs that actually are powered with a 12v brick, in fact most of the industrial ones are. Small form factor, passive cooling, can play media for you and usually comes with 4x 1/2.5gbit Ethernet, so it can double as a router/switch. Usually 10-15w power draw.

Go to AliExpress and simply search for minipc and make sure it has a SATA connector for your hard drive.

Almost. a 10db change is a 10x difference in power and roughly 2x difference in perceived loudness

Decibel scale is logarithmic, which means 10db change is reducing perceived volume by half.

I’d have no problem accepting a free car

Same. I’ve switched to Arch from Ubuntu as my main os almost 10 years ago and in all that time I’ve had a problem that goes beyond inconvenience level maybe twice. In fact Ubuntu broke more often.

Workstations/laptops at my current job in order of popularity: nixos, arch, macos. Windows is around 2%.

There are no dumb TVs if you want e.g. OLED. The closest you can get is a smart tv that you never connect to the internet. If you like 4k HDR it will still be a major pain…

I only have one that is the source of my stress - I’m the guy in charge of keeping the servers running

In order from the most to the least secure:

• distro repos: there is a process that is supposed to ensure no malicious changes make it through. Usually far enough behind recent code changes for new issues/code being compromised to be spotted
• official package outside distro repos if packaging org has secure release workflow
• building from source / official package on external repo if you know little about packaging org: malicious contributor or a compromised account is enough
• unofficial package: like building from source, but you have to worry about package maintainer too

Yes. AUR package maintainer(s) are additional people who can add malicious code (or someone else can by compromising their account).

Netflix limits you to 720p even on windows, unless you are using Edge: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/23742 (expand HTML5 browsers and scroll down).

This limitation doesn’t apply to all content - it’s the worst case scenario if copyright holder really put their foot down.

Every time an ISP does that around here they send you a notification via certified mail with a prepaid return envelope and a service cancellation form included - you can decide to not continue using the service without any early cancellations fees etc.

If they fail to do that they get fined by consumer protection agency, are required to return any fees they charged based on the change and they get to start over - send a notification that follows the rules resetting the clock for those who opt to cancel

I don’t see how an email that has no proof of delivery (could have ended in spam for example) would be legally binding.

Accepting a ToS update simply by virtue of no action is also questionable unless provisions permitting that were in the ToS you’ve accepted and even then it would not work in the European Union, because that’s listed in the forbidden clauses registry.

For anything other than house roof solar price per kw is going to be the deciding factor. Rural land is very cheap compared to solar panels - we’re talking about a 100:1 cost ratio.

Budget (about 200 euro):

• Mikrotik hex s router
• TP-Link eap610 access point
• Unmanaged trendnet switch

Better(400-500 euro):

• Fanless minipc running pfsense - like this https://aliexpress.com/item/1005005515731536.html
• TP-Link eap653 access point
• mikrotik CRS310-8G+2S+IN switch

TP-Link omada line is basically a bunch of ubiquity clones at much lower price

TP-Link omada series - clones of ubiquity at half the price, can run openwrt if that’s your thing. I’ve got 6 of those including outdoor ones covering the yard