Worst computer hardware feature you have seen?

I'm not going into this too much since it's not the topic, but I have to add this.
RetroComputingCollector said:
I feel like the notion that the ME is a backdoor is a conspiracy theory. Many people (including me) screen their internet connection with whatever they have like a firewall or something, and have not noticed weird connections. I think it id a terrible design, which combined with RMS and his tinfoil-hat-brigade, has spooked people. That said, I think it is a security vulnerability, but not a secret NSA plot
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Very applicable here: I was an adventurer like you once, then I took an arrow to the knee ...
A few years ago I would have said the exact same thing (note that I never said anything about NSA or whatever). Then I found out the hard way that it's really important to either disable the thing completely (which is too hard and some parts are effectively necessary for booting the cpu and can't be 'fixed') or at the very least get it updated to the latest version - which hopefully contains security fixes.
In short: my router/firewall was (and actually still is) a regular PC connected directly to the internet. No connections to be witnessed that way ...
blackhole said:
You won't. It has full access to the TCP/IP stack and can send packets independently of the OS - bypassing any firewall.
Before you denounce its critics as "tinfoil hat", consider well what place this kind of tech has on a personal computer.
It also has full access to memory.
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This^ It is NOT necessary for running any PC. And each and every one of my servers has an IPMI (and most of them actually do not have an IME because of that).
Fun fact: I once heard about reprogramming the ME as a low-cost IPMI for consumer hardware, never looked into it though.
 
cracauer@ said:
What's the worst hardware feature on a laptop or PC that you've seen?
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A poor 2-in-1 feature (aka: being able to "fold" the screen 180 onto the back of the keyboard).

See: while the keyboard was "folded up" many A brands didn't stop to think about... well, I dunno: disabling said keyboard and additional features?

Note: I don't have personal experience. "sorta". => during the time of my story I needed "portable options" but I knew I wasn't going to use a laptop that much. I also didn't want to shell out for a tablet so... I got a cheap "lo end" 2-in-1 laptop. Medion. 6 years later it still works, while my friends i stuf.. let's not go there.

I had a problem! When using it as a tablet it would sometimes shut down? Turned out: when placed on my lap it was me who pushed the on/off button. So ... I told Windows to turn that off when not on net power.

... but I also looked into what other brands did. Yah: Dell, IBM... they all got it wrong and were met with tons of complaints. Because the folded up keyboard still responded, which is bad when grabbing your "tablet". Meanwhile my cheap Medion never had any issues ;)

In the mean time I found my way to Surface ("attachable keyboard to tablet"?) and well, never looked back.

But yah... 2 in 1 laptop, and then don't disable the keyboard... wht?
 
Ah yes

B

Post in thread 'Worst computer hardware feature you have seen?'

Those Lenovo laptops with foldback screens from about 10 years ago. It also works as a "tablet"... until the sensor which disables the keyboard in tablet mode decides to fail - then it only works as a tablet... a crappy gimmick, which you pay for and which means you've compromised on everything else (I have never owned one but have been asked to repair the things).
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On the plus side, the one I have now inherited, is still usable if I connect a monitor, keyboard and mouse...
 
This isn't a worst ever computer hardware fearture... but I couldn't resist posting it anyway :). Here is Suni Williams (who just got rescued by spacex along with Butch Wilmore after 9 months in space) showing off her collection of classic thinkpads on the ISS. It says they had 68 A31's and 32 T61p's.

Watch her as she takes you on a tour of the ISS with thinkpads literally all over the place.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4Xyl4cW5yc

The T61 and it's cousins the X61 and R400 (same basic family spec) still make nice low-end freebsd machines today.


One of the great mysteries of IBM is why they sold the thinkpad business off to Lenovo. You really couldn't get better brand recognition than this.
 
blackbird9 said:
One of the great mysteries of IBM is why they sold the thinkpad business off. You really couldn't get better brand recognition than this.
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Yes, it is strange. Now that IBM has bought Red Hat, now would be a great time to reinvigorate and create something similar for mobile client workstations.

I was hoping that Trumps tariffs were maybe going to spark something like this but he pulled back a bit for tech from overseas so it is unlikely now.
 
I can only make the observation that Lenovo has made a terrific success of the the thinkpad business... I think last year or maybe 2023 they were named the world's number 1 laptop maker in shipped volume.
 
As for the tarriffs... we may find that the relaxation of the tarrifs on electronics are short-lived, I read reports recently that they may be re-instated in a month or so. Yoda tells me the future is cloudy on this one :)
 
bgavin said:
This thread is trying to access www.thinkwiki.org at 94.130.16.144
This site is blocked by MBAM as "compromised"
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Your installation of MBAM may be misconfigured...
1745166291512.png
 
I usually use Steven Black's hosts file.

github.com

GitHub - StevenBlack/hosts: 🔒 Consolidating and extending hosts files from several well-curated sources. Optionally pick extensions for porn, social media, and other categories.

🔒 Consolidating and extending hosts files from several well-curated sources. Optionally pick extensions for porn, social media, and other categories. - StevenBlack/hosts
github.com github.com

And there is also this enormous one:-

github.com

GitHub - Ultimate-Hosts-Blacklist/Ultimate.Hosts.Blacklist: The Ultimate Unified Hosts file for protecting your network, computer, smartphones and Wi-Fi devices against millions of bad web sites. Protect your children and family from gaining access t

The Ultimate Unified Hosts file for protecting your network, computer, smartphones and Wi-Fi devices against millions of bad web sites. Protect your children and family from gaining access to bad w...
github.com github.com
 
RetroComputingCollector said:
You are actually dealing with ads‽ I got sick of them and then just used a hostsfile script.
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Sometimes you have to decide what you can live with.

Recently, Phoronix has been obnoxious with ads that block most of my phone's screen. I frankly blame the hosting service, rather than Phoronix operator. But yeah, those ads do make me seriously reconsider visiting Phoronix. And no, I'm not willing to part with my money to make those obnoxious ads go away. I guess this is the online version of Italian mafia racketeering over exports of oranges and olive oil.
 
Crivens said:
Basically any form of lockdown feature, all this TPM boot protection and things which make it clear that you spent money on not-your-computer.
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First thing I'd disable on my laptop. Next is to swap Fn & Ctrl back.

On my Thinkpad there are 4 function keys whose functions can only be used with Microsoft Teams. At least I'm happy I can bind them to something more useful.
 
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