this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2025
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Linux is one of the last bastions for the tinkerer (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 3 days ago by bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works to c/linux@lemmy.world
52 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Thought of this the other day. I bet a lot of us are like this, because in today's world a lot of things we used to tinker with are gone (electronics are made to be single use and unfixable, cars are proprietary and can rarely be modified or worked on without many many thousands of dollars now, etc).

Sure, there are still hardcore electronics projects going on and people doing massive restoration projects and such, but i consider them basically geniuses, not just tinkerers who enjoy messing around and learning in their spare time while working 50 hours a week.

Im glad linux gives us a space to exist!

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[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 24 points 3 days ago (12 children)

Thought of this the other day. I bet a lot of us are like this, because in today’s world a lot of things we used to tinker with are gone (electronics are made to be single use and unfixable, cars are proprietary and can rarely be modified or worked on without many many thousands of dollars now, etc).

I feel the exact opposite. Today I can tinker in ways I never ever could before for two reasons:

  1. so many more technological solutions exist
  • 3D printing
  • CAD
  • wireless (near field, Wifi, and cell network)
  • large format printers for paper, vinyl, and fabric
  • CNC for wood and metal cutting
  1. components are so cheap relative to the past
  • single board computers (Arduino, ESP32, RaspberryPi, etc)
  • high quality optics and CCD cameras
  • mountains of cheap storage
  • small and large LCD displays, eink

When I started out the cheapest computer was today's equivalent of about $2000. To be able to buy a whole computer in a Raspberry Pi zero for $10 is insanely awesome! Electronic components from Radio Shack were few and very expensive. Test equipment like oscilloscopes were simply out-of-reach financially. Now I have a handheld one I bought for $200.

This is an amazing time to be alive with tinkering!

[–] BoloMKXXVIII@piefed.social 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

How much of the hardware and software you use must be registered, requires internet access to work, a proprietary app? You don't actually own anything that fits in those categories and they can be taken away from you at the manufacturer's whim.

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

How much of the hardware and software you use must be registered, requires internet access to work, a proprietary app? You don’t actually own anything that fits in those categories and they can be taken away from you at the manufacturer’s whim.

While there are certainly commercial versions of those that fall into those categories, there are many that don't.

  • My 3D printer from Monoprice has a power plug and and SD card slot. No requirement to connect it to the internet at all for it to function.
  • Here are 7 FOSS CAD software packages that aren't own by any company.
  • There are countless NFC and Wifi modules that don't require a "call home" to the vendor that can't be turned off. Cell modems may be a special case because you're using a providers network.
  • There are lots of large format printers that, once the drivers are install, need zero network connections to operation. No vendor shutoff possible unless you allow it.
  • Same for CNC machine. Certainly at the high end industrial scale this may be different, but there are many of solutions for home and commercial users that don't require an always-on connection.
[–] BoloMKXXVIII@piefed.social 1 points 2 days ago

Then I guess Linux is not one of the last bastions for the tinkerer.

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