May: encountered my first trouble with the Solidoodle printer. The computer rebooted while it was printing, which left the extruder in an undefined state -still burning. Burned the thing out. It's my own fault ( Read more... )

For the past decade or so, I've been perturbed that lithium batteries don't come in standardized form factors like "heavy duty" or alkaline cells do. The AA, C, and D cells were standardized in world war freaking one. Lithium standards are now gradually emerging, and I like them. The primary example of this standard is the battery that powers my ( Read more... )

Everyone reading this knows that I do not like proprietary solutions when open alternatives exist. Open software tends to last longer, have a better support cycle, get fixed more quickly, and not allow a company to play nasty games with you. Over-reliance on proprietary approaches is why I quit using Apple products, and it's currently causing me ( Read more... )