Hi Ky!
> KM> Linux drivers are in the kernel because back in the original
> KM> days, linux performance was so utterly glacial that drivers had
> KM> to integrated into to the kernel to get it to boot within your
> KM> lifetime. It was a bad design decision then, and it's not any
> KM> better now, but we're kinda stuck with it.
> Lots of things are based on antique designs: distance between car tires
> was set by the space between the two horses going down the road in Roman
> times.
KM> When the antique design becomes crippling, it's time to redesign
KM> it. Width of a vehicle is convenient at somewhere between 4 and 6
KM> feet no matter the era. Drivers in the kernel? Not so much.
Probably so. My guess as to why not happening is the probably non-
compatability with what's currently being used, but then the whole
purpose is to make it faster and easier to use drivers, so instead of
the driver being in the kernel they're in the next layer -- esssentially
same kernel, essentially same driver, just just no longer combined.
> I don't know anywhere near the information to make a proper guess but
> seems some sort of integrated into the OS has to be done just so
> something will show on the display. Make the change to the better/nicer-
> looking/more specific driver later.
KM> That's the video server, whatever it's properly called. X11 if
KM> your distro hasn't switched to Wayland yet. Everything in the
KM> kernel, except for the forty-'leven layers that all have to
KM> jury-rig connections to every other part so they'll all work! X11
KM> is basically a pile of shims (hence extremely slow compared to
KM> other ways of doing video); Wayland is still buggy, but at least
KM> from a design perspective, a significant improvement.
Apparantly the 18.04 and 20.04 systems here are running the default
Xorg based on a quick Google search. I wasn't able able to quickly find
the command to verify but if installed by default and I know I didn't do
anything to change....
KM> A few years back someone did a video that explained all this, and
KM> ... X11 was as if you have to blow out the roof vent and turn on
KM> the laundry faucet before flushing the toilet, it's got that type
KM> of inefficient communication. And I was like... no wonder there's
KM> so much video lag on older hardware.....
<laffing to self> Remember the old King Kong/Godzilla type movies?
Actor's mouth moves, then hear what saying (translation of course).
> KM> period where whether it would work with your perfectly standard
> KM> hardware was a bad-odds crapshoot (and it's still not 100%;
> KM> yonder is my Epson scanner, NOT SUPPORTED even tho it's been
> KM> their most popular small business model for the past ten years).
> Yes, that's a major problem: manufacturer can't or won't give the
> details on how the device works, either someone has to reverse-engineer
> or create their own driver. To me sounds like the manufacturer is
> excluding a large portion of the market but may not have much of a
> choice: possibly bound by legal agreements or afraid release of the
> details would make it too easy for competitors to steal a process.
KM> Epson made source code available a long time ago. It's still on
KM> their site. I found it and pointed our maintainer at it; he said
KM> he's added it to our repo tho it hadn't propagated yet last time
KM> I checked.
Good idea: have a local source, which also serves as an unofficial
backup of the main site. Probably not an issue with Epson but there
have been plenty of smaller companies which have had hardware failures
or simply closed shop and the users were left hanging.
> KM> Or you deal with problems like the current tangle of nVidia
> KM> drivers, and hope the Nouveau driver works if one of the others
> KM> doesn't.
> Yes, the nVidia drive on my Lenovo laptop worked fine with 18.04;
> updated to 20.04 and their driver no longer works.
KM> Yep... in that case try the Nouveau driver and hope for the best!
> KM> And it's not been that long go that if you moved a linux install
> KM> HD to another PC, or swapped out the video card, that killed it
> KM> dead and unresurrectable due to driver conflicts (and the
> KM> steaming pile of shims that is the X11 video server. Wayland is
> KM> better-designed, but still a bugfest.) Now I can move some of 'em
> KM> and they'll reconfigure drivers to the new hardware, but it's not
> KM> universal.
> I haven't done that in ages but to my way of thinking almost expected:
> it's not the same system. Should not die: the system should still work, just
> complain and fall back to the generic driver.
KM> The problem is that when drivers are internal to the kernel,
KM> unless the OS has a mechanism for checking this, not loading what
KM> doesn't work, and recompiling correct drivers on the spot, it's
KM> going to fail.
True: sort of an off-target example but had a bad RAM stick on this
system when I was bringing it up. Installer would just stop. Probably
didn't know how to get around the problem.
KM> It's the same problem (tho one step more internalized) as when
KM> Windows would throw up permanently because of exposure to a new
KM> motherboard.
Yup: 'locked' to the one set of hardware. On one hand makes sense to
prevent unauthorized use (sharing of keys type of thing), but sure makes
it a PITA to upgrade equipment!
> KM> What sort of generator do you have?
> Skippy the Hamster in a running wheel connected to a bicycle generator!
rs>!
KM> Ah, just as I suspected. Gotta put those squirrelkin to work!
They're off playing on the utility pole!
> No: Generac 16KW running on natural gas (the house has NG appliances).
> A little noisy; was sort-of looking for something with a Honda engine as
> supposedly quiet (had heard they were used at the John Deere Golf
> Tournament across the River). Since the generator was installed no
> power outages; barely any blinks.
KM> Dunno about now but in the olden days it was thus:
KM> Briggs and Stratton generator, buck-naked and noisy, $800.
Now all sorts of fancy stuff: noise reduction (somewhat), interlocks,
WiFi to remotely check status....
KM> Honda generator, actually a B&S generator in a nice
KM> noise-reducing frame and a better paint job, $2000.
KM> Yeah, some are quieter than others. Some of the RV generators are
KM> really good now. Others... well... but I'm guessing you could put
KM> some noise-reducing panels around it and suck up some of the
KM> decibels.
No one has complained, especially the right-next-door neighbour.
Figured if they did I'd bribe a bit by plugging in an extension cord and
let them have a little of the generated electricity. They're on the
same pole transformer as we are, so if we don't have power they probably
won't either.
> KM> I'd like to have one that would run off natural gas since that's
> KM> unlikely to fail, but $$$$. Need to replace woodstove first.
> KM> (Dunno why but it won't draw at all, and me with 20 years heating
> KM> with wood/coal ain't the problem. Might be the flue is too big
> KM> for the stove.) Would like to have one that does both pellets and
> KM> chunks.
> Have seen pellet stoves; that's about it: seen 'em! LIS the house has
KM> Yeah, seen 'em! <g>
Not feel 'em? -- I see the flames but don't feel any warmth!
> NG, so made sense to use for the back-up power. Storing that amount of
> gasoline just sounds dangerous; and going out and getting more may not be
KM> Not especially, but it really doesn't go very far. NG is better
KM> when you've got the choice.
Theoretically unlimited supply as long as nothing happens to the
distribution system!
> an option: roads blocked, gas station might not have power for their
> pumps.
KM> And NG so much cheaper. Besides, if NG is off, chances are every
KM> other energy source has already been eaten by the zombie
KM> apocalypse.
Pretty much what I figure. There have been and will continue to be
those major whoopsies: contractor in middle of no-where: I don't need no
steenkin' survey! <dig> <clink! Psssssssss>
> Over the years I had considered a 'partial home' generator: just power a
> few basic areas: kitchen (mainly because of the refrigerator), the
> Computer Room (if I'm paying for a generator I'm getting something extra
> out of it!), the bedroom, the Sitting Room (Den -- no idea why it's
KM> LOL, yeah :) I've thought about solar panels just to support the
KM> computers, figuring since their power goes through a UPS, it
KM> might not matter so much where it comes from.
I don't think this house has enough running roof to make solar panels
worthwhile. I do have some 'camping' solar panels; was going to do
something like you mentioned to charge the batteries in a UPS or two to
have a bit of power. Worked reasonaly well if outside, inside (to
protect the panel - not made for constant exposure) had a few problems:
window glass has a UV block. Solar panels need UV. The only old glass
was a glass block window getting sunlight is in the basement. It only
got sufficient sun for about two hours in the Summer.
Some sort of protected outside installation was considered but that's
about as far as that went.
> called by the old term) because the TV we usually watch is in there, the
> kitchenette area in the basement (freezer and refrigerator). Years
> later by the time got round to actually getting things going on a
> generator the price difference between a (say) 8KW unit for the partial-
> house configuration and 16 KW whole-house unit wasn't that much
> different. Pricing might have been a bit skewed by then as supply chain
> issues were noticeable.
KM> By the time you build the engine and put the inverter on it, it
KM> doesn't make that much difference if it's size X or size Y.
Essentially right. We got a call shortly after signing for a 13 KW
generator: "hey, if you spend an additional $37 you can get a 16 KW
version." "$37 a month?" "No - $37 total!" "Heck yeah!"
> KM> Especially having noted that right now Walmart has pellets half
> KM> price by the pallet.
> Buy Now! Give the termites a home for summer!
KM> Haha, yeah, that's a problem...
And possibly snakes, though might be more for stacked wood.
> > Mainly the software was installed to be able to check on the battery.
> > And in the case of the defective UPS handy way to grab the information.
> KM> Yeah, that has utility. They get tired and show no sign until
> KM> woah, why did the power go out and 30 seconds later the UPS
> KM> beeped and died?
> BTDT! Have several old UPSs, know several if not all have some sort of
> warning light when the battery is about to fail but I don't recall any
> doing so.
KM> Not a single hint, ever, 4 different brands.
Probably work like the Lo Batt icon in the thermostat in the hallway (for
the furnace and air conditioning): doesn't come on until the batteries
are too discharged. Doesn't show up in winter and summer when
constantly used; have seen it in Spring and Fall when don't need to run
the system and so not being used.
KM> However, I do have a large number of dead UPS batteries. When
KM> Things Fall Apart, lead will be valuable! <g>
Staple all those the little sheets together to protect from the
radiation!
» BarryMartin3@ «
» @MyMetronet.NET «
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