A quick update on the MSI Cubi AI+: I returned the little box to the store the next day. Reason: an obvious motherboard defect.

Out of ten attempts to turn on the mini-PC, nine were unsuccessful. And even when it did finally turn on, most of the ports didn’t work; it wasn’t until I unplugged and replugged them several times that an image appeared on the monitor. The monitor is brand new, too, and works perfectly with my other computers, so that’s not the problem.

Bottom line: great specs, but basically crap. Something like this shouldn’t happen to a company like MSI.
And the unbelievably extensive pre-installed bloatware is also scandalous.

Also: installing and setting up Windows 11 was an absolute nightmare, but that’s not MSI’s fault—it’s Microslop. It’s a shame I couldn’t install and try out Linux anymore, which was the original plan and intended use case.

Now I’m waiting for the upcoming Minisforum MS-03 Workstation, which also features a Panther Lake CPU.

#linux #unix #opensource #freesoftware #minipc #msi #windows #minisforum

And no, I’m not going to set up the new mini-PC with Linux today—I’m just too worn out and have run out of patience for that right now. I’ll do it tomorrow when I’m calm and well-rested. But I’m already looking forward to this task—then I can finally put the new MSI Cubi to work as my new workhorse.

Wow, that was absolutely dreadful! From the moment I first turned it on until I had a fully functional setup with all the updates, settings, and necessary programs—and their configuration—it took over FIVE HOURS on Windows 11! With a short break for lunch.

On Linux, the same setup—including a completely fresh install and updates—takes me just over an hour, and it’s not nearly as annoying as it is on Windows 11.

Updates that take forever, an unbelievable amount of bloatware (good thing I don’t blame Microsoft alone, but also MSI), constant reboots, having to hunt down and download all the programs from all over the place instead of having everything in one place like on Linux, and so on.

On the other hand, it was “interesting” to go through this experience again and see what the setup process is like on Windows 11 these days. I haven’t done this in a very long time. With Windows 10 IoT LTSC—which I usually use alongside Linux—it’s significantly faster and less of a hassle...

Well, in any case, I now appreciate again what I have in Linux; sometimes you have to go through a bit of a rough patch to be able to appreciate the value of free, high-quality alternatives once more.

#linux #unix #opensource #freesoftware #microsoft #windows #windows11 #windows10ltsc #minipc #msi

It’s actually unbelievable: just for fun, I decided to go through the entire Windows 11 installation process on my new MSI Cubi. Let’s see how it goes these days.

What can I say? Unbelievable! It took almost TWO HOURS just for the initial updates before I could even start setting it up! Are Microsoft’s servers that slow? The download took forever, not to mention the installations… And then the worst part: the pre-installed bloatware! Dozens of crappy third-party programs—and of course, they all want your data and a subscription… But Microsoft takes the cake: 22 (!!!) installations of Office 365 in the respective national languages! And each one is around 7 GB! That’s just 150 GB for a piece of junk software! And uninstalling each Office installation takes several minutes...

I’m going to stick with this crap anyway, just because I want to know how much of my life setting up Windows 11 with MSI’s bloatware is going to waste today. The day’s already gone to hell anyway.

#linux #minipc #msi #bloatware #windows #microsoft #opensource #freesoftware #crap

My brand-new powerhouse: MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 3MG

Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB NVMe, and much more.

What a beast!

My first Intel-based PC in many, many years. But the new Panther Lake generation is currently superior to AMD. I couldn’t care less about the “Copilot” feature—who needs that crap? I certainly don’t. But I wanted a new, up-to-date, and powerful computer again for the next 5 or 6 years. And even though it wasn’t cheap, if I spread the purchase price of 1,500 EUR over 72 months, that’s 20 EUR per month, so the computer has actually paid for itself in even less time.

But I’m curious to see which Linux—or rather, which kernel version—will run smoothly on it, given all these very new components. My planned testing order: Debian Sid, Fedora with kernel 7.2-rc, and finally Arch. I don’t even need to think about FreeBSD right now, but maybe in the future.

#linux #unix #opensource #freesoftware #msi #minipc #intel

A week ago, I treated myself to a new monitor: the BenQ MA270S, a 27-inch model with 5K resolution, 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports, and much more. The picture quality is incredibly sharp—the best I’ve ever seen! It was actually meant to connect to my MacBook Pro, but of course, it works just as perfectly with all my Linux and Windows computers. Once you’ve experienced 5K resolution, you’ll never want to go back. And this monitor is significantly cheaper than an Apple Studio Display, which ONLY works with Apple. But this model works great with ANY operating system! I’ve never seen my Debian look this crystal clear!

After a week of intensive use, I can wholeheartedly recommend this monitor to everyone—and no, this isn’t a paid advertisement from BenQ, but my honest opinion.

https://www.benq.eu/en-eu/monitor/home/ma270s.html

#monitor #5k #benq #linux #unix #freesoftware #opensource

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The past two weeks with Debian Sid and my new work setup—featuring two NAS devices and a new internal network—have been a success!

One NAS serves as internal storage for all my documents, photos, videos, etc., while the second NAS acts as a personal cloud connected to my smartphones, backing up photos and videos I take, which I then copy to my internal NAS at home—if relevant.

Conversely, when needed, I move necessary documents, photos, etc., from the internal NAS to the personal cloud so that I have the required materials on hand at short notice for appointments and the like.

That may sound cumbersome, but I consider it more practical not to have everything stored on a single device that can also be accessed remotely.

#linux #unix #debian #opensource #freesoftware #cloud #nas #network #lan #privacy