And who says computers can't change lives?

[tcoffeep]

Due to my recent interest in minimal linux setups, I've taken a step to introduce the minimalist style into my life. I've begun to take into account a number of things I do not need, or that do not mesh well with my values, and have tossed them. I've looked into everything, and it really opens your eyes to how much you really don't need as much as you think you do.
I only write this because Ubuntu introduced me to linux, which introduced me to Arch, which started my advancement into minimalism, and then to gentoo, where I embraced minimalism with open arms. Thank you, Ubuntu. You've changed my life in the most beneficial way possible.

-Brandon

[Странник]

Congratulations for finding your own ideal environment, where you can work as you desire.

[RabbitWho]

I don't think anyone has ever said that.

[gn2]

If you want to also have a minimalist bank balance, I'll be happy to take any surplus cash you may have off your hands :)

[mr-woof]

how have you taken the minimalist style into your life? What did you get rid of etc?

[tcoffeep]

Gaming consoles, books, movies, cds, furniture, clothes, dishes, utensils. Anything I needed was kept, and everything else was tossed, donated, or gifted. Not only will this affect my living situation and my possessions, but it will also dictate the way I spend my money, and what I do with my time. Anything that isn't useful will not be done, though that isn't to say I'm going to live like a monk or nothin'. ;)

It's just that I realized how much these material things have an effect on me, and I don't like it. I don't like relying on junk food, processed food, so I will make my own food. I do not like having so much junk around, and would prefer a clean and serence environment. I do not need 10 plates, but instead will only have 3 (1 for me, 1 for my wife, 1 for my daughter), and so on. I've been living in excess for years now, and don't like it, and I don't think I ever have.

It's funny, and sad, that it took a few programs to realize it. :P

[RabbitWho]

Well you sure have found a nice way to distract yourself from something or other.

[Woormy]

True minimalist=no avatar.

[PurposeOfReason]

True minimalist=no avatar.
In general I don't remember people without avatars. Same goes for if you change yours. I know people by their avatars. Makes it easier to find their posts too.

[Woormy]

In general I don't remember people without avatars. Same goes for if you change yours. I know people by their avatars. Makes it easier to find their posts too.

You've said too much. Must minimize!

[Bachstelze]

I do not need 10 plates, but instead will only have 3 (1 for me, 1 for my wife, 1 for my daughter), and so on.

They must love not being able to invite friends for dinner! Oh, but maybe friends are useless, too? By the way, did you ask for their opinion before?

[PurposeOfReason]

I do not need 10 plates, but instead will only have 3 (1 for me, 1 for my wife, 1 for my daughter), and so on. I've been living in excess for years now, and don't like it, and I don't think I ever have.

I don't see how you do it, I go through 7 spoons or so a day. I just stop, think I want a few spoons of ice cream, pull out a tub and a spoon and go on. I love every second of my bloat in my life. My computer software is all that is minimal in my life.

[RabbitWho]

In general I don't remember people without avatars. Same goes for if you change yours. I know people by their avatars. Makes it easier to find their posts too.

same here.. but it means that everyone with an ubuntu logo or a tux gets lumped in together and I see them as one person.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0




I think if your things were filling your life it was because you wanted them too, because you were avoiding something.
You noticed that wasn't for you and there was something wrong so now you're focused on getting rid of all your things, that's something else to think about and fill your life.
Why don't you just stop and try to figure out the real reason why you're not happy?

[tadcan]

In general I don't remember people without avatars. Same goes for if you change yours. I know people by their avatars. Makes it easier to find their posts too.

This is not the tadcan you are looking for, move along.

[RabbitWho]

This is not the tadcan you are looking for, move along.

We have identical skill levels! We should team up and do a quest!

[tcoffeep]

I do not make any decisions without first making sure its okay with my wife. I like being connected to my balls. D:

[earthpigg]

thats pretty great, grats dude.

[jrusso2]

All you need is one plate, one fork, knive and spoon, one glass and you all share.

[etnlIcarus]

Oh, for the love of...


Until evidence is provided to the contrary, I'm going to assume this is a troll thread.

[MikeTheC]

Computers have totally changed my life.

Now, one can argue if it's been for the better or for the worse, especially over the years. But, on balance, I met my girlfriend over the Internet and that could not have taken place without a computer.

[etnlIcarus]

"Oh, so they have the Internet on computers now".

[tcoffeep]

No, really... they do.

[etnlIcarus]

Err, a little context, perhaps?

[tcoffeep]

Wouldn't that ruin the fun?

[etnlIcarus]

Riiight...

[tcoffeep]

Exactly!

[tcoffeep]

Anyways : This isn't a troll thread. How the hell would it be trolling when I'm saying "Thank you"? You must really think I'm some kinda meta-troll.

[tjwoosta]

I can understand going more minimal, and removing some of the unnecessary clutter from your life but if you ask me getting rid of extra dishes and clothes is going a bit overboard.

[Whiffle]

I can understand going more minimal, and removing some of the unnecessary clutter from your life but if you ask me getting rid of extra dishes and clothes is going a bit overboard.


Exactly! For example, in my house, we welcome extra dishes. If we only had 1 dish per person, we'd have to do the dishes every meal, or every day at the very least. With several dishes, we just rinse them off and put them in the dishwasher. Run the dishwasher every few days and we're good. You could say we're minimizing dishwasher usage by having extra dishes. I say as long as theres plenty of space that wouldn't otherwise serve a purpose (ie, the extra space between the top dish and the shelf above it), can't hurt to have more dishes.


And no way am I giving up my second monitor!

[tcoffeep]

At this point, we, a family of three ( my daughter is 15 months old ), have trouble keeping 10+ dishes each clean, leaving the house a bloody pig-sty. (We're very lazy).

Having 3 dishes of each will mean more washing, sure. But it'll also mean less mess when we're too lazy.

[handy]

Have a look at the movie "Second Skin"?

It looks at the the pro's & con's of just what effects MMORPG can have on people.

These effects range from suicide, in the supreme effort to escape the addiction, to absolutely the most life enhancing thing that could ever have been invented (when you are a severely physically disabled individual); think of (apart from anything else) the inability to speak &/or get out of a wheel chair?

[tcoffeep]

What does MMO's have anything to do with this? :blink:

[lisati]

If you want to also have a minimalist bank balance, I'll be happy to take any surplus cash you may have off your hands :)

Ditto for any spare tech toys.....

[handy]

What does MMO's have anything to do with this? :blink:

Sorry, I thought I was relating to the OP's question as related in the title in the thread.

The fact that an individuals use of a computer can cause a variety of forms of addiction, which has been known to result in suicide to escape same addictions, the breakup of relationships & families, the loss of jobs, homes, bankruptcy & on it goes...

Again, I offer my apologies, my mistake.

[ticopelp]

What does MMO's have anything to do with this? :blink:

He's talking about computers changing people's lives, I believe.

[tcoffeep]

Sorry, I thought I was relating to the OP's question as related in the title in the thread.

The fact that an individuals use of a computer can cause a variety of forms of addiction, which has been known to result in suicide to escape same addictions, the breakup of relationships & families, the loss of jobs, homes, bankruptcy & on it goes...

Again, I offer my apologies, my mistake.

It's nothing. I was just confused, lol. I meant it in the sense that minimalism in user interface has pushed me towards minimalism in non-computer stuffs. I've seen, and am seeing, the effects of MMO addiction in my gf's parents house. Two people horribly addicted to both World of Warcraft and Online poker, both barely notice anything not related to the two games.


It's sad, really. I know another girl who puts her kid in a chair, and plays WoW and ignores her child. Pisses me off.

[handy]

I'm sorry to hear about those people you know.

I hope they get free of their addictions.

[bruno9779]

As I commented in a post a year or so ago, I came to similar conclusions in life, but ubuntu is a result of this, not the cause.

I cook my food, grow it to the extent possible, do not eat any prepackaged-precooked-prewhatever food, compile my software to the extent needed (Is setting up Gentoo minimalistic? is it at all?).

By avoiding fashion clothes and silly trends I seem to have a great deal more quality of life than my coworkers.
They buy Prada and Gucci, then are on bread and water till the end of the month.

Still, I didn't take a point in consideration: metro-sexuality has became a must in so many environments that I sometimes feel discriminated for my way of dressing at work.
And I work in tech-support, for F*** SAKE!!!!!!!!

[tcoffeep]

@bruno9779:
If we're talking Gentoo, I like being able to build programs with the features I don't use disabled. I mean, Evince generally pulls in a load of gnome dependencies, but with a USE="-gnome", I'm able to use it with only a small number of dependencies.
Setting up my gentoo build, it took 3 hours. Not long considering that it's Gentoo :P
My windows manager is dwm, my browser is uzbl. The biggest compile was for Thunderbird, which took 20-45 minutes (I was away from my comp). So, all in all, it runs fast and has 105 programs installed (including X, libraries, dependencies, and programs).
I plan to cook my own food, but not only because I want to live a more bountiful life, but because it's hard to buy prepackaged foods when I can't eat anything from the following : wheat, beef, pork, dairy, or heavy fats.

@handy:
me too. I'm tempted to call Child & Family Services on that one chick. Kinda force her hand to realize how far along her addiction has got her.

[wersdaluv]

http://mnmlist.com/

[handy]

@handy:
me too. I'm tempted to call Child & Family Services on that one chick. Kinda force her hand to realize how far along her addiction has got her.

Such dangerous territory; sometimes we can initiate unforeseen consequences, where had we known the results, we would never have started the ball rolling.

If you are seriously concerned for her & her child, it may be worth talking to someone who knows what they are talking about in this kind of situation.

[bruno9779]

@tcoffeep

I do not mean to be nosy, but from your dietary needs seems like you are affected by the celiac disease, and are almost vegan (you didn't say you don't eat chicken right?)

How do you cope with rising a child? my young one (6 months old) has an incredible appetite, and if I don't put a little chicken or Lamb in his baby food (home made of course) he complains, oh he DOES!

[bruno9779]

Such dangerous territory; sometimes we can initiate unforeseen consequences, where had we known the results, we would never have started the ball rolling.

If you are seriously concerned for her & her child, it may be worth talking to someone who knows what they are talking about in this kind of situation.

Another solution (although unorthodox) may be having that girls computed stolen by local thugs.
A little danger makes you appreciate more what you have.

:lolflag:

[handy]

Another solution (although unorthodox) may be having that girls computed stolen by local thugs.
A little danger makes you appreciate more what you have.

:lolflag:

Well, that certainly is another aspect to the talk to people that know what they are talking about statement! lol

[tcoffeep]

@bruno9779:
I live off of beans, rice, veggies and fruits. My daughter loves fruits, but she also loves a lot of foods I can't eat. Thankfully, my girlfriend can. So they eat their food, and I eat mine. At times, I get jealous, as it can be hard to watch people eat food I used to enjoy. Especially on her first birthday, where they had spaghetti and cake, and I had rice... and rice.
And, yes : I am affected by the celiac disease. The only meats I eat, and I eat them rarely, are chicken and fish.

@handy:
I know that it'd cause unforeseen consequences, but she used to be a good mother, before the MMO was introduced into her life, and then she stopped watching her kid. When my daughter was born, I was irresponsible, immature, and reckless. I refused to change diapers or watch the kid.
It took almost a year for me to change, and now that I have, I realize how much the kid means to me, and it pisses me off when people just throw the television in front of their kids as though its some form of cure-all. (My daughter hates television, but LOVES computers).

@wersdaluv:
That is a great site. What started with Suckless' manifest (http://suckless.org/manifest/), led me to Zen Habits, which led me to that site.

[etnlIcarus]

http://mnmlist.com/
Christ...

We are info junkies in some way: we watch TV news all the time, or entertainment news, or keep up with lots of blogs, or our RSS feed reader, or Twitter, or Digg or Delicious, or email, or one of the many news aggregator sites.Ignoring for a moment the redundancy, equating general news with crap like twitter or digg is nothing short of naive. There's also a fine line between 'minimalism' and just being a self-centred courtyard princess.


These fears seem reasonable, until we test them.
...
I’ve been uninformed — tuned out from the news and other information I don’t want — for a few years now. Nothing bad has happened to me.
"By your logic, I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away."
"Hmm; how does it work?"
"It doesn’t work; it’s just a stupid rock!"
"Uh-huh."
"but I don’t see any tigers around, do you?"
"Lisa, I want to buy your rock!"


You’ll see ... if you miss out on big opportunities.I shouldn't even need to point out the fallacy, here. Then again, I've underestimated this forum before...

This is all omitting that our singular premise of 'staying informed consumes a copious amount of time', does not warrant the provided conclusion; it's nothing short of an overreaction.

[CJ Master]

Well, I was going to recommend arch for you minimalist, but apparently you moved right on to Gentoo... LOL. Have fun with that.

[tcoffeep]

@etnlIcarus :
Ah, the joy of ripping apart of lifestyles that don't match yours, no?

@CJ Master :
I've been using Gentoo for nearly a year now :)

[Sporkman]

Still, I didn't take a point in consideration: metro-sexuality has became a must in so many environments that I sometimes feel discriminated for my way of dressing at work.
And I work in tech-support, for F*** SAKE!!!!!!!!

:lol: :lol:

[mr-woof]

I really like some of the ideas on the minimalist website, the 100 things challenge would be a good laugh to try :)

http://mnmlist.com/100-things/

I reckon mine would be easily 300+ at the moment lol

[bruno9779]

@ tcoffeep

Is good to hear your kids have a varied diet. I know enough fanatic vegan, with very tiny and skinny kids...

[tcoffeep]

@ tcoffeep

Is good to hear your kids have a varied diet. I know enough fanatic vegan, with very tiny and skinny kids...

Lol, I'd never force a diet on my children, especially with one as strict as mine.

[rotwang888]

I really like some of the ideas on the minimalist website, the 100 things challenge would be a good laugh to try :)

http://mnmlist.com/100-things/

I reckon mine would be easily 300+ at the moment lol

Ick. That guy has an imac, a Macbook Air and Birkenstocks in the top ten.

[hessiess]

Im pretty similar, these days the only things I use are my two computers and have bean dumping everything else.

[tcoffeep]

Im pretty similar, these days the only things I use are my two computers and have bean dumping everything else.

Exactly. The only thing I use these days is my computer. The only reason we have TV is for House and NCIS. And we don't have friends over due to embarassment of the mess. :>

[etnlIcarus]

@etnlIcarus :
Ah, the joy of ripping apart of lifestyles that don't match yours, no?

I wasn't aware gentle, self-serving bull**** constituted a lifestyle.

It's also a little pathetic to accuse me of bigotry, when I've clearly demonstrated where this guy's gone wrong.

[tcoffeep]

I wasn't aware gentle, self-serving bull**** constituted a lifestyle.

It's also a little pathetic to accuse me of bigotry, when I've clearly demonstrated where this guy's gone wrong.

Not to me. Try a bit harder.

[etnlIcarus]

Well now you're just being child... hell, that boat's already sailed.

[tcoffeep]

Mm. Apparently.

Anyways :

Thank you, once more, Ubuntu. You introduced me to something amazing, and I'm happy. Whether or not some people think that just because they think it won't work, that's their fault. I'm happy and it's a large part, thanks to you. Keep up the great work! And with that, I am done with this thread. I don't need to fight some e-battle to feel better about myself. I'm already content.

[bruno9779]

I wasn't aware gentle, self-serving bull**** constituted a lifestyle.

It's also a little pathetic to accuse me of bigotry, when I've clearly demonstrated where this guy's gone wrong.

This is a very bigot sentence IMHO.

thumbs up for tcoffeep

[t0p]

@handy:
me too. I'm tempted to call Child & Family Services on that one chick. Kinda force her hand to realize how far along her addiction has got her.

Um. Getting her kids taken away from her isn't a wake-up call.

With friends like you etc.

[etnlIcarus]

This is a very bigot sentence IMHO.Luckily, opinions come cheap and are in no short supply. Yet another internet hero who reads a critique and whose only recourse is to cast aspersions on it's author.


Um. Getting her kids taken away from her isn't a wake-up call.

With friends like you etc.Losing custody of your children isn't necessarily permanent. And this is assuming that you'd even lose custody of your children in the case of 'neglect in lieu of WoW'. Unless the children aren't being fed or are being actively abused, all child services will do is give the parent a, "wake up call".

The advantage of taddling is, depending on the individual (for instance, if they're as unreasonable as your average cafe poster), getting them to take care of their children need not destroy your friendship.

[ticopelp]

Luckily, opinions come cheap and are in no short supply. Yet another internet hero who reads a critique and whose only recourse is to cast aspersions on it's author.

I think you should go back and read your own posts in this thread, which have generally been nothing more than flamebait and empty mockery. Trying to characterize yourself as the voice of reason at this point is pretty disingenuous, and sneering about ad hominem attacks nothing short of hypocrisy.

[etnlIcarus]

I think you should go back and read your own posts in this thread, which have generally been nothing more than flamebait and empty mockery.I can quote all my posts in this thread, if you like? No, seriously. I can.
Trying to characterize yourself as the voice of reason at this point is pretty disingenuousAt this point, as opposed to earlier? And what exactly is disingenuous? I secretly know I'm the voice of nonsense, apparently.
and sneering about ad hominem attacks nothing short of hypocrisy.I dare you to provide a single example of my, "hypocrisy", because I certainly can't think of a single time when I've sacrificed my point, in favour of personal criticisms. The gall of some people, honestly. You must think me incapable of remembering or reading my own posts. No doubt you're simply hedging your bets on our audience's inevitably exhausted interest, granting you your assertions.

Edit: It would also seem prudent to the point that of the 3 people who've taken objection to my third post, not one of them have countered or corrected any of my objections to that website's rationale. I'm all ears, fellas.

[megamania]

I'm all ears, fellas.
Rather than being all ears, can I suggest you to try to be all-brain?

In other words, reconsider your attitude. It's just an advice, but I imagine you don't need it.

[etnlIcarus]

I can appreciate advice, although I'm not sure I understand or agree with your assessment.

Recently on these forums, the moment dissent appears, there is a concerted effort to marginalise it, usually by means of victimisation or demonisation. The GIMP 2.8 thread is a good example of the former, while this thread is a good example of the latter.

Constantly diverting the subject away from what I've posted, to what I supposedly mean, is not constructive. It's the marker of people not interested in opinions incompatible with their own.

There could be a discussion going on right now, regarding the philosophy predicated on the earlier linked website. The only reason that has not happened, is because no one has offered any criticisms or warrants of their own, let alone responded to mine (lord knows, my reasoning wasn't perfect).

It's pretty clear that no one, thus far, is actually interested in having that discussion, which is unfortunate, as I still am. In spite of certain people's behaviour, I'm still quite eagre to talk to them. Unfortunately, I'm yet to be offered anything besides the opportunity to defend myself against the insinuation that I'm a horrible person, who paradoxically presents criticisms in the form of Simpsons quotes.

[xpod]

Originally Posted by tcoffeep View Post
@handy:
me too. I'm tempted to call Child & Family Services on that one chick. Kinda force her hand to realize how far along her addiction has got her.


And we don't have friends over due to embarassment of the mess. :>

These 2 statements seem to contradict eachother quite a bit.
How much of a mess can your house be if your too embarrassed to have friends over and if it`s really that bad then mabey the environment your own child is living in could be deemed just as unhealthy for a child as what a parental game addiction could be....if not more so.
Just a thought.

Does your child have friend`s over i wonder?

EDIT:I`d love a more minimalistic lifestyle but convincing the wife & girls to get rid of half their clutter never goes down too well.I do try though.

[megamania]

Recently on these forums, the moment dissent appears, there is a concerted effort to marginalise it, usually by means of victimisation or demonisation.
You are free to feel the way you want to feel.

You just took a calm, pleasant (in my opinion) thread and tried to change it into a flamebait.

As you can see, nobody is victimising or demonising you or marginalising you - we're replying to you.

I don't know, maybe you're 15 and I'm discussing as if you were an adult - or maybe not. This is something which should be taken in consideration when a discussion becomes more serious.

Anyway, from my point of view you are the one who's not used to accept dissent.
And your fear of "victimization" seems to cover quite a lack of confidence - or maybe an excess of confidence which results in such attacks when you feel you're not being appreciated for what you think you're really worth.

But I think I'm done with it - I'll not demonize you anymore.

[etnlIcarus]

As you can see, nobody is victimising or demonising you or marginalising youAs I can see? See what? What was your premise? You haven't demonstrated anything.

we're replying to you.On thoroughly invalid terms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem), yes.

I don't know, maybe you're 15 and I'm discussing as if you were an adult - or maybe not. This is something which should be taken in consideration when a discussion becomes more serious.Should I interpret this an an innocent musing, or as condescension?

Anyway, from my point of view you are the one who's not used to accept dissent.Dissent from what, exactly? Dissent, itself? No one has responded to any of my opinions yet, let alone responded with dissent. It's a little difficult to claim I respond to dissent poorly, when we're yet to observe any dissent.

And your fear of "victimization" seems to cover quite a lack of confidence - or maybe an excess of confidenceSir, I advise against pursuing a career in psychology. Clairvoyancy, on the other hand, would seem to suit your predictions perfectly. :P

[megamania]

As I can see? See what? What was your premise? You haven't demonstrated anything.
Good luck. Enough time of my life dedicated to you.


EDIT: I don't need a wikipedia link. I understand latin and ancient greek, besides speaking italian, english, french and german.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auf_Wiedersehen

[salemboot]

One pair of black shoes
Two pair of black pants
Two shirts
$650 personal burial money.

Fight Club

[cariboo]

Closed pending staff review