Done playing with the old NUC Microsoft WIN11 PC. It has “given up” and has been place on the “storage shelf of honor”. That’s permanent retirement. Did its job well for 5+ years. I think the growing internal dust collection and resultant reduced cooling fried some crucial component.

Definitely smells like “Planned Obsolescence” by not including some form of air (dust) filtration. I created a solution but 5 years too late. (See other posts in this blog.)

Water over the dam, so not going to agonize, I just moved on with a new and stronger NUC (type) package. (The GEEKOM) It’s been equipped with a proper air filtration case (my design). Dust plugging cured (I hope).

Now playing with my Linux box as a diversion. Have always been a Linux aficionado since the early Slackware compiles for my original and first IBM-PC. Been through many “flavors” since but landed on Ubuntu. It gets the job done as a basic operating system. Without the “social” frills of Apple and Microsoft.

Using LibreOffice Writer for this post. All I need.

This Linux OS PC is small like a NUC but only requires 12 volt DC and does not have a fan. The is no easy way to add a dust filter and I suspect it would just add more restriction to the gravity cooling path. Plenty good for regular office work. I’ll risk no filter.

Do I need a Linux box? No, It’s just an alternative. What’s nice is it does not (yet) make decisions for me, or try to correct it’s perceived weakness of me, the user. Linux just does the the job of running the types of applications I need and choose.

I would love to see Microsoft and Apple release a “pure” basic OS (like DOS but with graphics) that is just the go-between of the hardware and the desired application, like Linux. I know there is a military MS version of Windows that could (should) be released to civilians, with all the background “social” frills removed or at least “hardened”.

But for us mere civilians, LINUX is the best alternative to the basics of pure computing, without the social life management of other OS’s.

All my website servers are a flavor of LINUX. Always have been. I have used Microsoft Server in my work career because that was the only OS my corporation’s IT would deploy and support. I created websites attached to Microsoft Project using Microsoft SharePoint Design.

Haven’t touched SharePoint since, and have no need or desire. Simple fact. Microsoft just does not offer anything special I need for my websites. Linux websites and servers do all I desire. <G>

I have created websites on AWS (Amazon Web Service) on shared servers (not true stand-alone). They are set-up just like stand-alone. Usually a combo Linux package with basic OS and web software (Apache) from a vendor. Truly, like building a website on a blank computer setting on the floor next to my desk. Pick everything such as processors, memory amount, and hard drive space. Then pick all firmware and software.

Just pay the rent. But one needs to do your own support. There are alternatives on AWS like LightSail that can make website ownership easier.

The easiest is to just use one of the many full hosting providers (as I do now) rather than AWS, and let the host do all the hardware and OS stuff. I always choose the Linux servers. I just create websites and email accounts. So much easier than wrangling ALL the details. Hostinger, GoDaddy, Mocahost are examples

Just like the military (and in fact the company I retired from, Schneider Electric, a buildings energy management environment control systems provider) used Microsoft OS for its' "front end" system control display (customer visual interface) because of it’s wide application base and familiarity to the customers we served.

When I started work there it was pure MS-DOS front end. But as Windows developed everything switched to the Windows environment. Just because it is the elephant in the room. The actual control software is proprietary (I/Net) or an industry standard like BACnet.

I don’t need or desire to bash “human-social” computer operating systems. They are what they are. I am not abandoning them. I NEED them! I USE them every day. Just like to return to pure function of computer control, away from the latest breaking “NEWS” story on the planet, interrupting my spread sheet.

BTW – Pure functional computing IS found within digital control systems. The PC has become the social beast. But there if far more to computing than a cell phone or PC social thingy. The PC is just the “window or view screen” to using productive software e.g. CAD for design. Then CAM or 3D-Slicer software for producing CNC (gcode) that provides the instruction to the machine controller that directs the speed and movement of the hardware.

I only need the PC and its operating system to provided the human interface (screen, keyboard, mouse, application software, etc.) to me, the user. I don’t need to be shown the temperature in N.Y.C. at noon.

E.G. - Critical space launch countdown on PC. 10… 9…. 8…. 7… !!WE INTERRUPT THIS LAUNCH FOR AN AMBER ALERT IN BUENOS AIRES, VERMONT,,, Be on lookout for…

The PC that can turn all this off (actually never have it installed) is running LINUX.

Next, Reality sets in and I’ll be right back on the WIN11 box! HA!