From d73ca89d94fceb05399a62f16f1c6cb1608cf8d9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: David Blue Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2020 15:19:58 -0600 Subject: [PATCH] #53 --- .../wtf/2020-08-31-finally-broke-windows.md | 29 -------------- ...9-20-varmilo-va108m-mechanical-keyboard.md | 39 ------------------- 2 files changed, 68 deletions(-) delete mode 100644 import/wtf/2020-08-31-finally-broke-windows.md delete mode 100644 import/wtf/2020-09-20-varmilo-va108m-mechanical-keyboard.md diff --git a/import/wtf/2020-08-31-finally-broke-windows.md b/import/wtf/2020-08-31-finally-broke-windows.md deleted file mode 100644 index 123915ce..00000000 --- a/import/wtf/2020-08-31-finally-broke-windows.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,29 +0,0 @@ -# Finally Broke Windows - -![Broke Windows](https://i.snap.as/CF3xPXEF.jpg) - -## An attempt to fix a Windows Insider Build issue led to soft-bricking my Surface Laptop 2. - -I finally did it, ladies and gentlemen... I managed to break the Windows installation on my [Microsoft Surface Laptop 2](https://www.davidblue.wtf/t/surface/) to such an extent that it has been unrecoverable. I am currently borrowing my mother's MacBook Pro and waiting on a Windows 10 installation .ISO file to download so that I can hope to mount it correctly on the last, shitty USB thumb drive I still have lying around. - -![Fuck Grammarly](https://i.snap.as/GG9y4pmC.png) - -*YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT BITCH.* - -I now suspect I began down this path a few months ago when I discovered [Windows Insider Channels](https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2020/06/15/introducing-windows-insider-channels/) and rejoiced... As I've discovered that one can relatively easily find a beta version of virtually _any_ piece of software, it's become a bit of a habit for me. More or less unconsciously, I’ve ended up with an application library full of _Developer Beta_ and _Nightly_ _Build_\-type shit. I don't think there was/is a single web browser installed on that machine that is not the given entity's "Developer Edition" which - considering most of the regular installs allow you to opt into dev tools, anyway - seem like they might be redundant. I don't particularly care, anymore - I mostly just love their icons. [Firefox Developer Edition](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/developer/)'s logo is a blue Firefox(!,) [Edge Chromium Dev](https://www.microsoftedgeinsider.com/en-us/download)'s is... more interesting than the regular version. [Google Chrome Canary](https://www.google.com/chrome/canary/)'s icon is a surprisingly-tasteful variation of the company's usually-horrendous color palette. - -What I'm trying to say is... I have continued upon this habit of opting for unstable versions of software in a sort of defiance against the common sense notion that relying upon them is generally a _bad idea_.[^1] I suppose I was just **waiting to experience any consequences** from such a decision, and well... Here they are! - -It all began when my Surface's integrated webcam became invisible to all applications that used a video input - including Microsoft's own Camera app and OBS. It showed up in Device Manger, where I did the generally-recommended troubleshooting task of uninstalling it completely (including its drivers) and rebooting to force Windows to reinstall it. It did so successfully every time, to no effect on the original issue. I also went into the Surface's BIOS menu, where its hardware devices are explicitly listed, and disabled/re-enabled the camera, to no effect. Normally, the absence of a webcam function would be more or less irrelevant to my day-to-day workflow, but now that [I'm partaking in "virtual" college courses](https://www.davidblue.wtf/college-return/), at least one of my professors has pressured me to appear _on cam_ as soon as possible. - -On Sunday night, I decided to revisit the problem with greater commitment, diving into a variety of deeper troubleshooting steps which I do not recall. The crucial one, though, was my decision to use the System File Checker tool ``(sfc /scannow)`` with the added instruction to _fix_ whatever errors it found.[^2] This drove my dearest little laptop into a cycle of self-diagnoses which results in an option screen including "Reset PC." After trying virtually every other option, I decided to try resetting, only to be met with connectivity error messages after pursuing the "Install via Network" option, leaving the use of a bootable Windows 10 recovery USB as my only choice, in theory. - -Another problem now arose: my mother's MacBook Pro is the only other machine I have any sort of access to at the moment, and MacOS no longer supports the creation of such a bootable USB for Windows via the Boot Camp Utility any longer. Nevertheless, I tried to make one by downloading the correct OS ISO and mounting it via UNetbootin, which didn't work. I then called [Columbia Computer Center](https://www.colcomputers.com/), who very generously agreed to make one for me and only charge me for the drive itself ($10!) - -Unfortunately, that one hasn't worked either, so I'm afraid I'm just going to have to take the thing to them... [Stay tuned](https://www.davidblue.wtf/t/surface/) for the Final Verdict. - -[1] This is why I’ve always downloaded the developer iOS beta releases on my actual, daily driver handset. - -[2] I’m pretty sure it was “-f” but I’m not going to do the research to verify that… Sorry! - -#software \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/import/wtf/2020-09-20-varmilo-va108m-mechanical-keyboard.md b/import/wtf/2020-09-20-varmilo-va108m-mechanical-keyboard.md deleted file mode 100644 index 1202225a..00000000 --- a/import/wtf/2020-09-20-varmilo-va108m-mechanical-keyboard.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,39 +0,0 @@ -# Varmilo VA108M - -![Varmilo VA108M](https://i.snap.as/Ck4ECB9t.jpeg) - -Yes, I bought a mechanical keyboard. It occurred to me that folks who spend a lot of time doing things that require tools - _professionals_, artisans, craftsmen, etc. - usually seek out the best possible quality offerings of those tools. Even if they're just 5% better than the average alternatives and cost twice as much, when one uses them for hours every day, the last bit of refinement pays off very quickly. Considering how much typing I've done in the past 5-10 years, I find it a bit silly that I hadn't before thought to optimize the hardware I've used to do so. Now that I've put at least some thought into designing the space in which I work and [gone back to school](https://www.davidblue.wtf/college-return/), I've also invested in bettering the thing my hands actually touch the most. - -##### Actually... Before I go on, [here is the link](https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:497d6e70-60df-4087-a3e5-af91077bec15https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:497d6e70-60df-4087-a3e5-af91077bec15) to the Varmilo VA108M User Manual/Guide/Reference in English in case that's what you came looking for. (I had difficulty finding it, too.) - -I suppose I've let myself be blinded to the advantages of a mechanical keyboard by the _gaemer_ stigma that surrounds them. This time, I believe I began by simply inputting something like "best keyboard for typing" into a search engine, which returns plenty of iffy results, naturally, but among them was [a list from _Wirecutter_](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/our-favorite-mechanical-keyboards/) - whom I trust, more or less - of "Best Mechanical Keyboards 2020." Also included were posts in the [r/MechanicalKeyboards subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/), which I _actually fucking joined_[^1] (but promise never to mention again outside of this post.) Uncovering my eyes, I found a ridiculously-extensive community message board and [Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/wiki), which is undoubtedly the most extensive resource on the subject to be found, anywhere. Though I did place a time limit on myself for any research of 15 minutes, in retrospect, I suppose I also had some criteria, which I assume - if you're still reading - you might be interested in: - -- **WIRED** as fuck. Bluetooth can _fuck off_. -- "Full" keyboard, for the same reason I'd never spend any money on a piano with any less than 88 keys. -- At least tolerably tasteful, aesthetically. (Not overwhelmingly embarrassing if someone were to actually see me using it.) -- Cute, ideally. -- No light shows. -- Not "ergonomic." -- Not from Logitech or Microsoft. - -Immediately, it was overwhelmingly clear that my choice must also have _The Cherry_... The Cherries... The "Cherry MX Switches," whatever they are. _Any_ of even the most skimmy reading up on the subject will lead you to this conclusion. That addressed, I arrived upon three considerations: the [Ducky One 2](https://www.duckychannel.com.tw/en/Ducky-One2-RGB-TKL), [Das Keyboard Model S Professional](https://www.daskeyboard.com/model-s-professional/), and [Varmilo VA87M](http://blog.piaw.net/2017/12/review-varmilo-va87m-wired-keyboard.html). - -![Varmilo VA108M (Overhead)](https://i.snap.as/Tef4WBLJ.jpg) - -*Layout of the VA108M seen from above.* - -As good as the idea of something as German as the Das Keyboard sounded, I hate the way it looks, and the Ducky seemed to take itself too seriously (despite its brand name.) The VA87M seemed to be ideal if it was full-sized. I searched for the equivalent, [found the VA108M](http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=2855), and bought one immediately. Specifically... - -| **SKU** | [VA108MP2W/LLK22W](http://mechanicalkeyboards.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=2855) | -| --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | -| **Switches** | Cherry MX Silent Red[^2] | -| **Dimensions** | 5.39″ x 17.41″ x 1.30″ | -| **Cord Length** | 60 Inches | - -I've already written more than I ever wanted to, but let me just say that I love everything about the thing - the particular set of special keys, the way it feels & sounds, and that its heft prevents it from moving around - and I hope to keep it forever. As I said on the photographs I posted to social media, **I promise to never bring this or any other mechanical keyboard up ever again** unless asked about it. - -[1] Yes, I have actually been using the Read It website in the past 18 months or so, which anyone who’s known me at all would find unbelievable. I don’t know if I’ll write about it in the future, so I’ll just say I’ve unblocked it within my psyche largely because it’s no longer horrendous to look at. - -[2] I remain genuinely confused as to why the color of the switches matters, considering they are only visible when the keycaps have been removed. - -#hardware \ No newline at end of file