Hello!
So, I live on a bus. We travel around, it's pretty great. I don't have a laptop or a mailing address that works, so getting certain things done is difficult, and I have two things I need help with.
I installed a solar system a while back, with an older charge controller a friend recommended. I more recently upgraded the batteries to lithium irons. So now this controller requires reprogramming, and to do so you have to plug an RJ45 (pretty sure that's the name) into it, and probably download some shitty chinese spyware program to fiddle with it. Their newer models bluetooth and require an app of course.
The other thing is either much trickier or impossible, and while I've booted up dumpstered laptops with thumbdrive linux before (and found the homemade blowjob video, heh) I've no idea how to even go about fiddling with this.
It's a (shitty chinese) dash/backup/security camera system. It's been referred to as a 'pizza box' system by someone who hates money. It might have a wifi chip onboard, but I can't figure out it does or not.
I'd like to flash it to run linux, if possible, and put some actually useable video monitoring/porting/editing maybe programs on there. The current UI is unusable even when it's cooperating. Like if there were an accident, I'd just basically be bluffing. Sure the data's probably there, but it's in a format that won't register on any device I've plugged the SD card into. I need it to export to filetype I can use with an ipad, which is the only computer we have aboard.
If any of this sounds like a fun or interesting challenge, I can throw some dollars at you. Or trade work! We do auto/diesel/bicycle mechanic work, welding, sewing, leather and general handy shit.
Destroying amtrak is literally a republican agenda, for the automotive reasons you stated.
Also, if you can spring for a sleeper car, the experience is fucking amazing. Three meals (and one boozy drink) included a day, there was a wine tasting, just all around pretty rad.