Jarret Hynd

The first one recommended to me was "herbs the magic healers" - over 100 years old

You can view it through webarchive's virtual library: https://archive.org/details/herbsmagichealer00twit

The new page is a great improvement over the original in regards to world domination. Good work to everyone who put it together.

Mass AI use the last few years has made images, similar to the original cartoon, one that many will just glance over because everyone and their dog are spamming AI images everywhere. People want real life images - I've seen this trend in various industries the last year. (reference the research article "Customer reactions to generative AI vs. real images in high-involvement and hedonic services")

Ideally, you'd want a video playing in the hero section instead of just the image of the RMH bench: say a 15 second loop of 4-5 clips. Example: A clip of it mid-build, a quick showcasing of a nice house with a RMH in action, a shot of someone stoking it, a scene of a cold winter with a focus on the house from the outside, then finally a shot inside and the thermometer shows room temp (maybe even family gathered around it having fun), etc - story telling in action, tapping into people's emotions. You likely have most of the footage to build something like that already.

Not saying it has to be done exactly that way, but that's the common marketing strategy that grabs people's attention - gotta capture people's interest within a few seconds of landing on the page and give them a compelling reason to keep scrolling.

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I never liked Wordpress either, always felt clunky and high maintenance. For reference, I barely know any html, but Astro + Gitlabs has been easy enough to pick up. All static pages, but they are robust in features, no crazy SaaS price increases or daily news about vulnerable plugins. It's great.

It's been awhile since I've ventured over to Permies, but I found myself thinking back to this topic as the Universe has been throwing "one idea" people in my direction lately. In particular, the type that are self-proclaimed "thinker/visionaries", but don't put any work into their ideas.

"I thought of it, so give me 20% profits"
"remember that idea I gave you, you owe me"
etc etc.

It's a tough world these days, so i don't take it with much offense - everyone's just trying to put bread on the table.

But when you realize how much effort it takes to get even a relatively simple idea off the ground, you quit worrying about who's going to utilize your ideas - it's too much effort for them. Even if the idea gets brought to fruition, most people lack the basic business knowledge to make it profitable. It's reminiscent of the "Dream Big" post here on Permies. People who stay dreamers like holding onto One Idea because it's an easy script to tell people, in many cases over years, without actually putting much work into achieving it. Excessive Emotional Investment without Action and Planning = Stuck in a state of perpetual fantasy.

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There is also the battle of dealing with people who want to tell you their "great ideas" all the time, but much like the App Store, 95% are crap. I tend to stay away from people who don't at least have a track record of trying to implement a few of their own ideas.

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It's also important to note that you can tell your ideas to people, but many won't have the expertise to understand it anyways. As it's said in The Richest Man in Babylon "you don't ask the brick maker for advice on fine silks". The average person has average ideas/understandings of the world.

At the end of the day, if you see a need for a product/service to solve a problem, can understand why it's not implemented already, and have a plan to bring it to the market in an efficient way, then go for it regardless of what anyone says. At worst you'll gain the experience of "processing ideas", that is, turning dreams into reality. The faster this process becomes, the faster new ideas come into your consciousness.  

I'd rather spend a few hundred or thousand $ prototyping an idea, than to hold onto it for years taking up valuable space in my head.

r ranson wrote:But, he tells me he wants to start a youtube channel.  I hope he does because he has so much to share with the world.  

I remember a few months after I joined Permies, he had talked about doing this.
https://permies.com/t/68064/Making-money-YouTube

I'm glad he's exploring it again and hope he goes through with it this time around. :)

John Weiland wrote:And my understanding is that, just like commercial OSs, the open source communities behind the different Distros are generally adding improvements along the way, yes?

Correct, they fix bugs in the OS and programs as they get identified. It's probably easiest to explain things with an example: Linux Mint

At the top it says "Based on: Debian/Ubuntu", which basically means Linux Mint is getting the same updates/support as Debian/Ubuntu - most of the Linux OSs you look at will be based on those two. There are others independent OSs that do their own updates and other OS rely on them (like Arch), but in general some are commercially developed (like Ubuntu) and others are community driven (like Debian). I don't think there is much need to worry about lack of support these days from either side, because a Linux OS being outdated and Windows OS being outdated have very different meanings. Many times when trying to revive decade old computers, you sometimes have to use outdated versions to get reasonable functionality. The version of Lubuntu (based on Ubuntu) that I used on the old compaq laptop was no longer being supported by the developers. People that are looking to exploit unpatched security flaws are mostly targeting Windows systems for desktops, and Android for phones, because they are both dominant in each of their markets. Here's the old pc vs mac explanation if you remember those commercials. :)

If you look at Ubuntu and scroll down to the various release versions, you'll see LTS which means Long Term Support which has an End of Life support date 5 years after release. The way releases work is the LTS is like the "safe" option where only stable elements are added in, and the other types of releases typically only have 2 years worth of support but they have all the cutting-edge updates, which might also be buggy or not work properly on everyone's different systems. Most new users who are feeling overwhelmed by the new information and varying choices just go with a LTS release of Mint/Ubuntu. Though like Abraham suggested, Manjaro is equally easy to install and has rolling updates all the time - one of my friends uses it exclusively now partially for that reason. At the end of the day the casual user just wants 1 functional OS, and there are at least 20 distros that can fulfill 99% of what they want to do on a daily basis.

John Weiland wrote:with respect to apps and given that some apps may *work* better with some distros, is app *installation ease* something specific to the application or to the OS Distro?... maybe both?

This is dependent on what programs you use and what their developers have chosen to do. If you use Windows/Mac programs, like Adobe (photoshop), it'll probably have some minor/major bugs if you try to use it in Wine because it's not supported on Linux - Windows gamers certainly understand this aspect. But, if you use multi-platform programs like GIMP instead of Adobe, it'll be supported and working fine. This is where the choice comes to either learn new open-source programs that'll be supported on whatever system you choose in the future, or, dual-boot and keep Windows around so you can use those special programs when you need them. Typically people dual-boot at first, and eventually lose access to that Windows program or just learn an open-source alternative program, and a few years later make the full switch.

Q4OS has a very small list of basic programs they keep updated and seem to work flawlessly. I think projects like PCLinuxOS try to have much larger support for various programs, but it's been about 4 years since I last tried it out so I can't recall.

For trying to use Windows programs in Linux, Wine is not something you want to have to use unless it's necessary. I'm really just a casual user that's using web browsers, password managers, VLC, LibreOffice, Calibre E-Book management, etc and I haven't had to use Wine for anything, partly because apps are becoming browser-based, which gives them flexibility that is similar to being open-sourced/multi-platform. But since I never really got onboard with mainstream ecosystems/programs(like quick time, apple store, etc), I've always been using varying degrees of third-party applications which have a much higher chance of being supported everywhere. While those programs don't look as nice, and sometimes have a small learning curve, if one is already willing to take the effort necessary just to try Linux, learning "off-beat"  alternative programs is a lot easier by comparison in my opinion.

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Hopefully your wife is okay with "Sarah" being a part of your life now, and with time, she may even want to meet her :)

P.s You can use programs like YUMI, and that way you can test various Linux OSs without having to format USB drives, setting things up, etc. If you do it this way, pick 5 or so and try them all out over the course of a few days, and eventually by choice you'll end up trying 1 or 2 more frequently than the rest - flip a coin and go for it.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote: Buying SSDs and charging money for the laptops is a good idea, but impractical in these pandemic times. When people hand over cash, they naturally want to test out the unit (as would I). Right now, we're in semi-lockdown, in winter. Public spaces are off limits. It's logistically impossible.

Ah I see, that's true. In my area it's not quite the same mentality or restrictions, but I understand.

I hope you just have better luck than I did in the past. Probably only 1/10 of the repurposed refurbs I tried to give away actually found a new home. People seem to be very brand-oriented, and without it being Windows or Mac, they don't want to bother. Yet those same people would probably buy laptops from 2010 with 2GB of ram "running" windows 10 for $50 :(

I always felt the Raspi OS was really more about bare-bones functionality (based on it's original mission statement) rather than a good, modern user-experience.

John Weiland wrote:The 'ease of installation' is one parameter that I'm researching as I test out the different offerings.  Do you have a feel for which ones are easiest for the layperson installer?  You mentioned using Zorin....did that install easier than RaspPi?

When I started playing with Linux in 2013, only a few distros ("distributions", aka OS) had "OEM options" (at least that I tried) which made them a lot easier to install back then. It's pretty standard these days.

Zorin branded itself as a Windows-alterative early on, but the project kind of died for awhile before coming back recently if I remember correctly. I tested it out last year and it's still a solid choice.

I was testing Q4OS for awhile in 2016, and that was a really good one for pretty much all laptop/desktops regardless of age(no driver issues or hardware bugs), and it looks like it's gotten even better. They've developed a windows installer so there isn’t a need to mess around with USBs or anything and it can readily be installed it along side windows. (I haven't tried that installer, but did test the new Q4OS. And while it's a little dull in visuals still, it's improved even more in functionality since the last time I used it.)

Just like Abe, in 2015 I took in someone's old compaq laptop and lubuntu was the one that worked best on it at the time. (later on in 2017 Q4OS worked equally as well)

I've been 100% on Linux Mint the last year, more so just because it's one of the ol' reliable ones. I prefer the Cinnamon edition.

I've tested dozens over the years, but the mainstream desktop/laptop distros are all pretty easy to install via USB these days. A nice datebase of most Linux OS can be found on DistroWatch.

It really all depends on what the individual needs to do and what the age of the system is. There was a topic I was engaged in a few months ago where the age of the computer was going to limit the OS choices, and typically those are bare-minimum OSs which aren't as novice friendly as many more modern ones.  

John Weiland wrote:It's too bad....I think my parents finally crossed that line in age/abilities to really be able to take advantage of a computer at this point.

While some dogs won't learn new tricks, it depends on how the OS is approached and customized for the user, but I know what you mean - it's a struggle in many cases. Depending on what you mean by "take advantage", if it's for a parent or senior to be able to use a computer for communicating/online browsing, It's best to just make it as easy as possible to use and try to get them where they want to go with the least steps possible. By that I mean take the main programs/URLs they use and make them visible in the middle of the desktop screen - increasing the size of the font (including browser) as well as the icons typically helps convince them to try it for awhile. There are also docker-style options for launching applications, like in Elementary OS (and others) which makes it feel like a Mac-alternative. If they are used to Android on their phones, there is an android OS which functions exactly like it is on the phone, though with a bit of reading it seems to be getting updated less frequently these days.

Personally I never liked the idea of booting the OS from USB, especially if the computer isn't for me, but that's up to the individual to decide. (this is more to do with average consumer behaviour/knowledge, rather than just being a bad choice overall)

John Weiland wrote:I suppose in some way it could be argued that this thread is no longer so aligned with Permaculture per se, but I guess I feel that anything that 'recycles' otherwise landfill-destined hardware is pointing towards less waste.

FOSS/Linux falls in line with the 3 ethics of Permaculture, so I'd say it's a relevant topic for Permaculture :)
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Douglas Alpenstock wrote:What would be a reasonable minimum amount of storage for a laptop running Debian Raspberry Pi? I'm thinking of basic systems for seniors or students. They would have most of their stuff online. The OS will take up about 4GB.

Reason for asking: I have functional laptops to give away but I'm out of old hard drives. I can get 16GB SD cards for $5-6 on sale, and 32GB SD cards for about $8-10. Is that enough space to be practical?

Peppermint OS is designed to be a ChromeOS-alternative. I am not much for online stuff, (I also say boo to cloud storage like Bill does) but it might be better suited to seniors/students who are used to storing their stuff with cloud-based systems.  

And just my opinion: If you are springing $10 for SD cards which have a shorter life/higher corruption rate (per my understanding) than SSDs, it might be better to ask $20-30 from whoever you are building the system for, and buy a cheap $30 120GB SSD for it. My original off-brand SSD from 2012 that's had TBs of data written to it is still going after 30,000 hours of use.  

Funny, as I was just thinking of this topic the other day. :)

A few months after previously posting in the topic, I did end up buying a 28 inch carbon steel wok, and it rusts the same as cast iron from what I've experienced. I used it in a roughly constructed dakota fire setup, with an old dryer drum as the stand for the wok.

Hey Brian, welcome to permies :)

Physical books have the disadvantage of no longer being published or very few copies are available. They can sometimes be very expensive for this reason - here's an example.

If the only option is physical books, and you want the most detailed information possible, my recommendations would be: Permaculture: A Designer's Manual(PDM) and Edible Forest Gardens(EFG) Volume 1 and 2. The PDM is the best overall for permaculture strategies that can be implemented anywhere, while EFG is filled with similar strategies, but is also a psuedo-encyclopedia specific to North America and has detailed information such as which plants accumulate which resources, how to handle winter/dry climates, etc. I can't think of a reference off-hand, but having a homestead-skills book would probably fill in some missing gaps.

Gaia's garden and many other popular permaculture/gardening books are more theory-oriented or echo parts of the PDM. I also feel they aren't equipped with enough knowledge to turn 80 acres into a thriving homestead, but my standards are different from the norm.

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As for raising animals, there isn't a book I've read that has the same quality as the PDM/EFG (though I haven't looked hard), so you might have to look around and buy a few different ones to get a good overall view of the subject. There are plenty of resources out there for free aimed at ranchers on government/state sites though.

Greenhouses would probably be something along the lines of Eliot Coleman, but Citrus in the Snow is a much better example of greenhouse usage in my opinion. Last I recall it's only $2-5 or something for 80 pages.

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Much like yourself, I'm also quite concerned about access to meaningful information in the future. While I could go into the reasoning and causes, that'd probably be an off-topic, so I'll leave it at all.

With that in mind, in the last year I've really started to ramp up the time I spend building my own digital library. For online webpages, the keyboard shortcut crtl + s saves a webpage in HTML format. Sometimes the saved information doesn't look as pretty as the original, but it's still there on your hard drive. You can also use tools like youtube-dl to save important videos you've watched. There are Windows versions available half way down the page.

Your climate may play a role in what is effective and what isn't. Here it's dry all year round, so the mice want water bad after being in the house for a week.

I've found the comment from Cristo (from one of the threads Anna linked) to be similar to what has worked for me.

Cristo Balete wrote: John, it's worked for me for years, having buckets out partially filled with water that mice and voles jump into all the time. I've found them in empty buckets, but more often in buckets with water, so I assume they are looking for water. I also have a couple of garbage cans full of water for a quick bucket filling, and I even found one in there. Not sure how it even got up that high. I keep the lid on upside down so the tree frogs will stay in it and eat mosquito larvae. It happens at night, when there is all the running around. This past summer there were 6 in one bucket.

It doesn't happen every day, but every few days in my 8 buckets there is usually one. The only caution I would add is that a bird, that come in with the big flocks, to my garden morning and evening, will sometimes jump in the buckets, too. I hate when that happens, so I don't fill them up too much so it can get out again.  

An icecream pail (4 Litre pail) with 2.5-3 inches of water in it is eventually how they end up leaving the house, and usually the pails had cherries/berries in them that I was soaking for cleaning. But I've had them even jump into antique 1 gallon jugs that I had left with soapy water to soak as well.

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The sticky traps only seem about 80% effective for me - which is still good. But it seems like some of them identify the smell of the glue on the sticky pads, and then learn to avoid them. I've had as many as 25 pads out at a time and there was always one mouse that will learn this strategy to avoid them.

I no longer use the sticky pads, as the house I'm in is over a 100 years old with small holes everywhere, so mice coming in (especially for winter) is expected. It's not much fun accidentally stepping in a sticky pad either. (I can't be the only one who's done it... :) )

Just a smaller pail with some water in it, and maybe add something sugary to it to attract them even more.

Hopefully this info is helpful in some way:

I attempted to buy the cards as a gift per the instructions in the OP, but I was not getting any screen asking if I'm a US resident or not - I was getting taken directly to Paypal.

tried a bunch of tests and fiddling with stuff

Eventually, I figured out that it's because I backed a kickstarter and so I can download the cards directly from permies already. However, this still doesn't change the fact that I can currently click on the $3.50 gift button, and that I am taken directly to Paypal without seeing any message about residency. (I'm pretty sure I should still get the message despite the kickstarter freebie, because if I did buy it as a gift, it'd likely be used outside of the US)

However, if I log out and try to buy the cards, everything acts as it should and I get the message asking if I'm a US resident, select "No", and get taken to gumroad.