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Comment The Devil is in the details. (Score 1) 104

This is probably not a benefit to the homeowner, but whether it is depends on the pricing.
Batteries degrade with each charge/discharge cycle. Putting a battery in your home is an expensive proposition, and it will eventually have to be replaced. The initial cost of purchase, eventual replacement, and the environmental impact of recycling (hopefully) or disposal (realistically) of the dead battery must be considered.
Knowing PG&E's track record, and that of California in general, I will NOT consent to this without a full, detailed breakdown of the usage and compensation. Even then, they must earn a degree of trust that neither PG&E nor the state of California has earned. Any agreement with either entity is worthless if they won't abide by it. And they won't, you can be sure. Been there... Fool me once...
Why would I spend thousands of dollars on a capital expense, only to allow PG&E to use it for pennies? Not happening in my home. Show me the benefit, and I will consider it. As long as its voluntary, then fine. I don't volunteer. But the inevitable moment it ceases to be voluntary? Trust me, it will! Unless we push back massively.
Technically, this is a wonderful idea. I would support it eagerly, if I trusted them not to screw over the participants. But... Well, I don't! So, include me OUT!

Comment Not sure when, or if I will upgrade. (Score 1) 82

I am still running Ventura, and contemplating upgrading to Sonoma. I have had too many bad experiences with Apple breaking my work environment with new upgrades. I'm in no hurry to upgrade. I use lots of software that Apple does not bless. If Sequoya is going to be a huge new pain, I may just stop at Sonoma.

I don't need 'app signing.' I would rather NOT have the annoyance.

Ask me again in a year, (or maybe two) and I'll reconsider it.

Comment Re:People resist new versions of everything (Score 1) 287

Change for the sake of change is not always welcome. Some of us have real work to do, and having to spend time and effort learning a new UI is counterproductive. The WinXP UI was perfectly fine. There was no reason to change it, and the newer UIs are not necessarily an improvement.
But, of course, the underpinnings, especially wrt security issues, are troubling. So, it's a trade-off.

Comment Planned Obsolescence? But for Linux.... (Score 1) 287

Some of the updates are for security reasons, absolutely. But Microsoft (and Apple, too) really need to rethink this mantra of constantly buying new hardware to get the latest features. It's starting to get annoying. As long as a machine works, and can run a modern OS, it should not be obsoleted. But, often that "modern OS" is Linux, and that fact should give upgrade-mongers some pause. You do not need Windows, or MacOS to keep using your computer. There are real alternatives.

My newest computer (A Macbook Pro) dates from 2019, and at some 4 years old, I have zero intention of replacing it anytime soon. My next newest is a Lenovo dating from 2015. Ditto. Both platforms are capable, plenty fast, and do what I need them to do. I also run a MacBook Air from 2011, and an iMac from 2009. The iMac runs Ubuntu 2204, and is as serviceable as the day it was new. I also have an HP from 2006, that, admittedly, is getting long-in-tooth, but, as it too runs Ubuntu, it is still quite serviceable.

When Microsoft retires Windows 10, my Lenovo will be running Linux. I will NOT be buying a new machine to run Windows 11.

Comment Small but significant increases are reasonable (Score 1) 121

The oldest reliably documented person, I believe, lived to about 122. A great deal of research conducted in multiple disciplines is starting to produce results. We know caloric restriction can add up to 20% or so. Many nutrition improvements are on the horizon. Various medical interventions have been discussed in the research. Based on the research I have read about, I have some belief that my grandkids (ages 14-20) have a moderate chance of making it to 120 or so, with outliers in the 125-140 range. I thus imagine that 120-130 will be realistically achievable as a possibility for a lucky few, in about 50 years. By 100 years from now, I imagine my 14-year-old granddaughter has a good (~20%) chance of seeing 140. But predictions are difficult, especially about the future, so I don't discount the possibility of a breakthrough that will transform the prospects, enabling much greater spans. Which is a mcguffin in my science fiction stories.

Comment Re:I don't want to go that far back (Score 1) 376

My EV has a lot more "engine braking" than my ICE car with a CVT transmission. My Nissan Rogue just free-wheels when I let off the gas, and the 1.8L engine has so little braking that forcing a downshift just spins the engine faster with no increase in braking. My Kia Niro, OTH, slows down significantly when you let off the "gas." You can drive all over town and never touch the brake, if that's your idea of a good time.

Comment Re:Cloud (Score 1) 52

If you are using a data tracker of some sort (bitcoin ticker, etc.) then cloud makes sense, but more and more I want standalone apps that run on my desktop. Sick and tired of cloud security issues, access issues, subscriptions, and daily updates that break things. Just give me an app that works. Unless you are tracking fast-changing data, cloud sucks.

Comment Jumped the shark! (Score 1) 154

I was about to buy a RAV4, saw this and reversed course. Bought a Nissan instead. I will not now or ever in the future purchase a car (or any product, really) that requires a monthly "plan" subscription for basic, commonsense features. Streaming services such as Sirius XM, of course, don't count, you are subscribing to something with content. But heated seats? RKE? What's next, AM/FM radio? Stream from my iPhone? Not only NO! but HELL NO! and FU and the horse you rode in on! Not doing it, no way, no how, and unless there is a serious mea culpa and back peddle, Toyota is forever off my Xmas list. One strike and you're OUT! with a capital O!

Ah well, I know, I'm a crotchety old guy, but this is madness, pure and simple, and I refuse to play that game.

Comment Company Town (Score 2) 81

Hmm... An entire town, and everyone's financial life controlled by a corporation, and where the public officials are employees of the corporation. What a novel idea, no one has done anything like this before, What could possibly go wrong? Wait... Coal Towns, you say? NAH, those were EVIL polluting corporations, not environment-friendly high-tech ones like we have today.

Count me in...

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