Demoted Society

After a decade in the Linux and Windows ecosystems, a seasoned user puts the M1 Pro MacBook Pro to the test to see how Apple’s veteran silicon holds up in 2026. This review explores the "pro" hardware—from its industry-leading speakers to the polarizing notch—while navigating the workflow hurdles of transitioning from a ThinkPad to macOS. It’s a candid look at whether this legendary workstation remains a top-tier choice for power users or if the software learning curve is too steep to climb.

or trackball enthusiasts, the quest for the "perfect" pointer is often a journey of compromise. We are all essentially chasing the ghost of the legendary Microsoft Explorer Trackball. Enter the Elecom Deft M-DT2DRBK

To finish out 2025, here is a quick rundown of the key tech that I used in 2025.

Stepping up from a system unable to handle an Elder Scrolls: Oblivion remake speaks volumes about the previous hardware's limitations. In the current volatile market for GPUs and RAM, finding a capable machine without breaking the bank is a win. I’ve spent the last six months putting the Acer Nitro V 16” through its paces, and while it firmly occupies the "budget gaming laptop" tier, it punches well above its weight class in raw performance.

As an avid reader who has been locked into the Amazon Kindle ecosystem for years—most recently utilizing a reliable, albeit aging, 10th-generation Paperwhite—I found myself facing a dilemma rooted in proprietary file formats and digital rights management (DRM). While e-readers are fantastic for carrying a vast library of free, public-domain titles from sources like Project Gutenberg, Amazon’s historically closed system created friction.

In an effort to help my learning how to use Linux, I decided to take my Raspberry Pi and host this site on it. This is a detailed account of that process.