• 8 Posts
  • 12 Comments
Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 8th, 2023

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  • Does this require fiddling with software?

    Depends. Libreboot replaces your processor’s firmware with fully libre software. Most importantly, it gets rid of Intel Management Engine, which is a firmware-level spyware that all modern laptops have. Almost all laptops are stuck with this firmware – the sole exception are ~10 machines, mostly Toshiba, from 2008-2012ish. With these, you can completely eliminate the Intel ME by flashing your firmware with libreboot.

    Now, in most cases, this requires tinkering with hardware. If you’re lucky, you can find a ThinkPad model that you can flash without having to gut the whole machine first. So in most cases (to my understanding), librebooting a machine is heavy on having to disassemble your laptop.

    Does it work out of the box?

    If by ‘out of the box’ you mean ‘works without issue once installed’, then yes. Once you’ve done the fiddling and set everything up, you don’t even have to think of libreboot again.

    Some motherboard bios will give overclocking(OC) options. Does Libreboot give OC options, RAID drivers, or boot security options (encrypted OS)?

    This is mostly beyond my expertise, but I recommend going through libreboot’s extremely informative official website.

    If i wanted to take my current Franken-desktop and switch out the BIOS/UEFI and keep the OS, could this do it gracefully?

    Almost definitely no. Libreboot only works on a select few devices, all of which have been out of production for about a decade (usually more). It’s a great option if you’re 1) Willing to tinker, AND 2) Either have one of the compatible models lying around, OR 3) Are willing to find one off of eBay auctions or local marketplaces.

    You can find the list of compatible laptops on the libreboot website – if you’re lucky, maybe you have/can find one of these. If not, I’m not fully sure this has been of much help to you :')

    The main appeal of libreboot is that you can truly create a 100% libre laptop with it. No blobs, no proprietary software, no invasive surveillance even at the firmware level.












  • My two cents: “being” vegan is overrated and subtly shifts the goalposts from reflecting and acting upon serious ethical questions to policing each others’ adherence to an imaginary pure ideal. I say this as a vegan btw.

    So for example, I reject the idea of veganism as “avoiding animal-derived products as far as practicable” (paraphrasing the exact definition). I.e. if I’m stuck on an island with zero plant foraging skills, and I then catch some fish out of our necessity, I’m not vegan. It’s just that simple.

    But I’m not going to feel bad about that fact and guilt-trip myself into inertia. Maybe the fish help me survive long enough to learn to identify edible plants, learn to climb trees to get coconuts etc. Over time, I’m able to completely eliminate my fish intake and rely on plants. So the initial fish helped keep me alive long enough…to protect scores of their fellow fish!

    If I’d obsessed over being vegan everywhere and at all times, I’d ignore the ethical possibilities right before my own eyes, and possibly even conclude that the most ethical thing was to starve to death – all in the name of being recognized as “vegan”.

    If you solely focus on individual acts of killing, you tend to forget that death is a part of life. It’s impossible not to kill, to be honest – just as it’s impossible not to be killed. We often forget that latter part. It goes both ways.

    One notorious example I’ve encountered is when people go vegan for the “wrong reasons”. Say someone learns about the extremely morbid effects of meat & dairy, and then chooses to go vegan. I’ve heard people say that these people have no right to be “vegan” and should call themselves “plant-based”. In either case, the ethical effects on animals are basically the same, except that maybe the “plant-based” folk have a couple of animal-based non-food products around the house.

    I’ll skip a few steps here to share my own broader position, which is that it’s consequently possible to have relations with animals that are reciprocal and not merely exploitative. People have practiced such relations all around the world for millennia.


  • Nothing’s easier than porridge! Just water, oats and fruits of your choice. Then chop up some dates and them to the mix. Microwave 2 min and top with cinnamon, nuts and seeds. Healthy, easy and delicious.

    Also smoothies. Just get a banana, apple, nuts, chia seeds, flax seeds and blitz. Then add some water and a generous amount of frozen berries. Takes 10 min at the most.

    For mains? Just set some rice to boil on the side. In the meantime, chop onions, garlic and tomatoes, fry 'em up and add your choice of spices. Then throw in a can of lentils/beans, maybe some chopped broccoli and sweet potatoes if you want. Let the whole thing simmer for 10-15 minutes. Ideally your rice and stew are ready at the same time!

    For something truly quick – chop some broccoli and blanch for a minute. Transfer to a pan with olive oil, stir fry with some chopped garlic and chilli flakes. Meanwhile, use the blanching water to boil your spaghetti. Add the spaghetti (with some of the pasta water) to your pan and mix it all up good. Serve as you like! (Optionally you can top it off with grated vegan cheese, but I like to avoid processed foods as much as I can. Instead, you could chop up some nuts and sprinkle a generous amount of nutritional yeast).