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Parent is using "backuped" to mean "likely in some cloud (latest version)". And that may explain why BB excludes .git folders.

You are using it to mean "maintaining full version history", I believe? Another important consideration.


> You are using it to mean "maintaining full version history", I believe?

No, they are using it to mean “backed up”. Like, “if this data gets deleted or is in any way lost locally, it’s still backed remotely (even years later, when finally needed)”.

I’m astonished so many people here don’t know what a backup is! No wonder it’s easy for Backblaze to play them for fools.


definition of the term backup by most sources is one the line of:

> a copy of information held on a computer that is stored separately from the computer

there is nothing about _any_ versioning, or duration requirements or similar

To use your own words, I fear its you who doesn't know what a backup is and assume a lot other additional (often preferable(1)) things are part of that term.

Which is a common problem, not just for the term backup.

There is a reason lawyers define technical terms in a for this contract specific precise way when making contracts.

Or just requirements engineering. Failing there and you might end up having a backup of all your companies important data in a way susceptible to encrypting your files ransomware or similar.

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(1): What often is preferable is also sometimes the think you really don't want. Like sometimes keeping data around too long is outright illegal. Sometimes that also applies to older versions only. And sometimes just some short term backups are more then enough for you use case. The point here is the term backup can't mean what you are imply it does because a lot of existing use cases are incompatible with it.


> To use your own words, I fear its you who doesn't know what a backup is

Feel free to use my reputation, instead: when I say a system is backed up, data cannot be lost by that system being destroyed, because an independent copy always exists. This satisfies those whom it concerns, who put their money where their mouth is, whereas your more generous but insufficient definition would absolutely not be good enough.

When you assure a client that a system is backed up, which definition do they expect from you?


> When you assure a client that a system is backed up, which definition do they expect from you?

the one in the contract (and the various EU laws)

that is not a satisfying answer, I know

e.g. in some past projects the customers explicitly did _not_ want year long backups and outright forbid them, redundant storage systems + daily backups kept for ~1-2 weeks (I don't remember) had been pretty close to the legal limit of what we are allowed to have for that project (1)

the point I'm making was never that a good general purpose backup solutions shouldn't have versioning and years of backups

it's that

1. the word backup just doesn't mean much, so you have to be very explicit about what is needed, and sometimes that is the opposite of the "generic best solution"

2. If data is explicitly handled by another backup solution, even if it's a very bad one, it's understandable that the default is not to handle it yourself. (Through only the default, you should always have an overwrite option, be warned if defaults change, etc.).

Insisting a word means something it doesn't in a way where most non-tech people tend to use it in the definition you say isn't right just isn't helpful at all. Telling them that this is a very bad form of backup which they probably shouldn't use is much more likely to be taken serious.

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(1): Side note: It's because all data we had is backed up else where, by a different solution, and sometimes can be a bit sensitive. So the customers preferred data loss (on our side, not on theirs) over any data being kept longer then needed (and as such there being more data at any point of time if there is some hacker succeeding or similar). And from what I have heard that project is still around working the same way.

But ironically that is similar to the case here, the data is owned/handled by a different system and as such we should not handle the backup.


But isn't that exactly what Dropbox does? If I delete a file on my PC, I can go to Dropbox.com and restore it, to some period in the past (I think it depends on what you pay for). In fact, I can see every version that's changed during the retention period and choose which version to restore.

Maintaining version history out to a set retention period is a backup...no?


What tools are needed to redo the anodized color? Is it doable at home?

You have to grind off the existing Al2O3 protective layer using sandpapers/sandblasters and/or power tools, then ultrasound + acetone wash the parts, then dump it into an acid bath while running electrical current through the pieces. Special dyes can be added for color. Then the pieces are boiled in regular water to further improve durability. The combination of the acid and electricity then boiling cause Al to form beehive shaped surface micropores, and dyes - actually inorganic, so pigments - gets electrically jammed into the pores. The whole outer surface become thick insulating layer of highly chemically resistant and mechanically rigid white/transparent Al2O3 once the process is complete. Voltage, current, waveform, temperature, solution acidity, etc etc affect colors and oxide thickness and shapes and sizes therefore aesthetics as well as durability. "Anodization" refers to this process of electro-acidic-heat formation of the oxide layer, not the coloring. The coloring powder is an extra.

Technically it can be done in a garage, but spot and/or intact application might be difficult. Strict color matching against Apple made things would be impossible.


How comfortable are you working with chromic acid and boric-sulfuric acid in your home?

As long as it's not hydrofluoric acid...

I have an experiment at work that is generating gaseous hydroflouric acid at 800 degrees F. It's inside a triple containment system that takes a full day to set up and take apart, and we have all sorts of quality checks to validate that it is safe to access and has been fully titrated after the experiment has run. We accidentally ruined a very expensive ion chromatography machine a few weeks ago... Acid gasses are just no fun to work with.

I bought a light HF acid (rust remover) so I can properly clean titanium parts before anodizing. Worked like a charm...

just don't let any of it get on your skin. only takes a splash to land you in intensive care.

To echo the sibling comment: approximately not, it's a strong acid bath which precludes operating electronics in it, and it's electrochemistry.

People do home anodizing all the time, but colored home anodizing on electronics is very rare.

The way to do it would be wrapping it in, say, a wet paper towel with your strong acid solution (but not sulfuric, because that would turn the paper into pure carbon foam) and running outside current from the laptop through the paper to a cathode, or vice versa.


Wouldn't you want to completely disassemble the laptop first anyway, at which point the electronics would be disconnected from the metal parts anyway?

You really can't fully disassemble current macbooks and put them back together without major tooling - the chassis is not just a wrapper, it's structural to the way they're interconnected, lots of glue and things like that.

Sounds almost like a turtle's exoskeleton

Yes it’s doable at home, even with fairly primitive tools. You need several chemicals and (if you wish) colored dye.

Anodizing works as follows:

1. Take the MacBook apart

2. Clean it

3. Chemical bath to remove old anodized layer

4. Clean it again

5. Chemical bath with power supply attached. applied voltage+current and duration will determine hardness and thickness of the anodized layer.

6. Clean it

7. Dye it.

8. Seal the dye in a hot water bath.

It’s fairly straight forward to do.


This made me smile because in my book this is at every effect impossible, especially if the goal is getting a functioning laptop at the end of the process. To be clear, it's impossible for me because I lack the knowledge, expertise and tooling to even think about doing it.

Nonsense, it just makes it more effort for you - nothing is impossible.

Also, the way you acquire the knowledge, expertise and tooling is by screwing around with stuff where you have no idea what you’re doing.


Depending on the field you want to gain knowledge it can mean: “famous last words” or “missing body parts”. Nothing against the spirit of learning and challenge one’s skills. But especially people on YouTube show of quite dangerous things and sell them as everybody can do it. My list here: Metal / Wood work on a lathe with off center or unbalanced pieces in a 3 jaw chuck.

Playing around with lithium batteries to build bigger battery packs (DYI Perks did this and even though he mentions the dangers of doing that (fire or electric shock) it’s still inspires people to do the same in their living rooms.

Then is playing with chemicals.

Again I’m not saying don’t do it. But one should ease into things not just grab a random set of chemicals and disassemble a laptop and hook up a power supply etc by just following a list from the internet.


Well, it's impossible to me given my natural born level of habilites with this kind of work, and the time I would need to invest to learn how to do it properly. Because it's not just a matter of buying some device and do it, you need to learn by trial and error, add more and more physical tools to your toolbox, have the dedicated space where to store and try all of it safely etc etc

13 year old me who anodised remote control car chassis completely agrees the process is quite simple.

In the context of a MacBook, it’s not. Removing just the aluminium components and leaving everything that doesn’t like baths undamaged is practically impossible for amateurs. I’m not sure it’s something many professionals would take on.


I think it could be possible for the bottom half. The lid would be way, way trickier (unless you have one with a broken screen already and know how to put the new one together).

I’m wondering what custom colours you could do with that process btw!


Practically anything! Vibrant colours work best, and there are techniques to do transitions, fades, and masking to get multiple colours, though I’ve never done those myself.

Not strictly DIY because a professional anodizing workshop did the actual anodizing, but cool results nevertheless:

https://lowendmac.com/2024/ryan-andersons-colorized-anodized...


> 1. Take the MacBook apart

Otherwise known as "remove everything from the chassis, leaving only the chassis."

But do so in a way that lets you fully re-assemble it later on, after you've finished the re-anodising.

> 7. Dye it.

Why the dye? I thought anodising's colour comes only from the voltage used, with no dye needed.

ie you can pick the colour you want, but you need to get the voltage correct for that colour


> Why the dye? I thought anodising's colour comes only from the voltage used, with no dye needed.

That's true for anodization processes for some other metals like titanium and stainless steel, but aluminum is dyed. Also the process is material specific. Anodization for Al is only possible because Al does that unique self organizing micropore thing.


Yep, you're right. I was thinking of titanium. :)

If anyone's interested in details of Aluminium anodising, this seems like a decently thorough introduction: https://nzic.org.nz/unsecure_files/book/8E.pdf


No, that's steel, and not with voltage, but with temperature: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_coloring_of_metals. For aluminium, you add dye to third bath.

Reversing step 1 will be the real tricky part.

Just get some clear nailpolish and apply it with the included brush. Not as good but dead easy.

My Cmd-TAB frustration is I'm usually moving the mouse while I press it, causing the mouse to select some unwanted app. It doesn't help that the row of apps forms a solid bar across the center of my display.

Wish I could ignore mouse movement when the app switcher is displayed.


Thanks, the previous title was easy to miss: "Veracrypt project update"

HN's guidelines for submission titles can be really counterproductive sometimes.

I enjoyed this movie:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Biggest_Little_Farm

Similar challenges, but attempts at natural solutions (not easy, so much complexity)

Trailer: https://youtube.com/watch?v=UfDTM4JxHl8


If your interests run bucolic you may be interested in the upcoming 3h documentary "The Valley".

https://thevalleyfilm.au/


It's a super cute movie but I think it's pretty heavily dramatized. The owner is a filmmaker so it was a sort reality TV project from the beginning.

Totally enjoyable watch, but I wouldn't look for real world farming advice here.



Modem mode, love it


What does it do? All it did for me was disable all input into the page except for scrolling. I was assuming some modem noises or perhaps the page would unload and reload very very very slowly...


Loads the image at a few rows per second.

Works on Android. Trying it on regular Firefox on Pinephone Pro results in:

> This page is slowing down Firefox. To speed up your browser, stop this page.

Weirdly, the image animation doesn't render until I hit the "Debug Script" button that Firefox presents, which pauses execution. It's only with the JS paused that the animation begins.

The pause is at the `for (; b < a + 60; )` loop that works an OscillatorNode. I guess a sound is supposed to be played. I checked youtube and sound works. I guess this loop prevents the firing of whatever event the animation depends on.

Loop terminates. It's just really slow. Only once it ends does the sound happen (haven't used OscillatorNodes before; probably normal).


Checked for sound on Android's Chrome. There's none. Checked youtube on Android's Chrome, sound works. Checked Firefox on Android, seems to have the same problem as desktop Firefox on Pinephone Pro. No web inspector on Android to check, but I waited and eventually the sound started playing. It's been several minutes and it's still playing. Image animation hasn't started.


> I missed a screw and slightly cut my hand here too

After a nasty gash from a washing machine, which impacted my typing for a week, I got a pair of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Mechanix-Wear-Utility-Gloves-Large/dp... $14, may save a doctor visit


I recommend ANSI rated cut protection gloves: https://www.mcmaster.com/9915N987/

I use them when working with sheet metal. They are high-dexterity. Thin and flexible. Steel threads are woven into the fabric. McMaster has a variety of high dexterity gloves - fingerless, insulating, cut-resistant.


Agree. Maybe just add a Disclaimer.md file.


> DC will creep much easier than AC

Can you say more about "creep"? Is the resistance changing? Or is material actually migrating?

Also curious why it's worse using DC.



Thanks Jacques. So creepage is when current flows/arcs across the surface of an insulator, vs through the air. And it's worse with DC due to its unidirectional nature. Worsens when pollution builds up, or the surface degrades.


Indeed. And it's a really nasty thing to properly protect against because that pollution, especially with stuff that is unattended for a long time has a habit of ending up much worse than your worst fantasies. I've taken more than one electrocuted mouse out of the HV section of older color TVs for instance. Up to 250V or so it is manageable, above that you can get the weirdest problems including completely invisible arcing where the only giveaway is the ozone smell and the occasional click. Looking at HV circuitry in the dark or by putting a flame near a suspect spot is a great way to spot these kind of issues.


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