Absolutely can and should use docker in a VM. ☺️

Predictable cadence, stable operation, timely updates, huge community and therefore documentation. You can get up to 5 years from an LTS release of Debian or Ubuntu. With Ubuntu LTS and Ubuntu Pro (free) you could theoretically run a machine without upgrading for 10 years. If you run workloads in containers, it doesn’t matter how old the host OS is. As long as it’s security patches, you can keep on trucking.

As briefly as possible:

• Host side
  • If you use Intel, all is well.
  • If you use AMD…
    • Prior to AM5
      • Use an ASMedia PCIe USB card (StatTech, Sonnet)
      • X570 is especially bad, though I’ve had some success with B350, when using the chipset ports. The CPU ports are all bad. Small form factor PCs often only expose CPU USB ports. They work with single disk per port but if you peg a port with a multi-disk box, they crap out regularly.
    • Post AM5
      • Have only tested USB4 on X870 and it’s solid.
• Client side
  • WD Elements / MyBook
    • If you get disconnects under load and you’re not on a shit AMD USB host, the USB-SATA controller is overheating. Open them and ahere a heatsink on it. Drill a hole in the case above it for better ventilation. Disconnections will stop. If you don’t want to deal with any of that buy the item below.
  • OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad
    • Well built, solid controllers, no issues over a year of testing. I have 2, hosting an 8-disk RAIDz2 and 2 hosting a 5-disk RAIDz2.
  • Terramaster
    • A friend bought a 6-bay and tore it down for me. It has the same controllers as the OWC in a similar topology. If it’s cheaper it might be OK. I can vouch for the OWC though.
  • Cables
    • Get name brand cables, ideally higher spec than what you’d need! They aren’t important for a single USB disk but running a 4-disk box can max out the port bandwidth. If the cable can’t handle it… errors.

If you want to program something, the closest you’re gonna get to programming is Ansible and Bash scripts.

You might want to get self hosting hardware like Synology or the like if you’re not ready to dig.

Otherwise here’s some things you need to know:

• Docker
  • Easy, consistent deployment of services in their own environments. Think a VM but with almost no overhead.
• Docker Compose
  • Run docker containers with consistent configuration in files.
  • Connect various containers to each other on the same or different networks.
  • Get multiple containers to start together and talk to each other.
• Systemd
  • Manage any service on Linux. If anything needs to start on boot, restart when crashed, start on timer, you want Systemd.
  • You can manage your docker compose containers lifecycle via Systemd.
• NGINX/Apache/Caddy
  • A web server for reverse proxy. You’d probably need one at some point, especially if you want HTTPS. Your services get hidden behind it.
• ZFS
  • Reliable redundant storage. You’ll need storage. Use ZFS with 2-disk redundancy.
  • Supports automatic snapshots for recovering from oopsies. E.g. deleted something or some software shat on your data.
  • Can use recertified disks from serverpartsdeals.
  • Can use USB disks or USB box with multiple disks. If you end up going the USB route, ask me for tested hardware.
• Backup system
  • Something to do backup. There are many options.
• Ansible
  • If you want to write code that describes your services and make them happen, you want Ansible. You write code (well YAML) and Ansible installs things, writes config files, sets up Systemd services, restarts things. It can be convenient especially if you have a lot of stuff and you want to be able to see all of your infrastructure in code in one place and be able to version it.
• Prometheus
  • Monitoring your stuff. Is my backup service running? If not send me an email.

Oh and use Debian or Ubuntu LTS.

I like JSON output. Will make my monitoring jobs less fragile.

I haven’t been able to get it to accelerate in any environment. The status might show green in chrome://gpu but when I actually check in debug while playing, it’s always using software.

It’s how we do.

This sucks. I was about to sub and contribute.

I’ve used GNOME Terminal since 2005.

They’re about to drive the van off the bridge aren’t they.

ffmpeg, Selenium, Bash, Python

Oh shit, that’s right - it’s a dir. Perhaps cp -rl /usr /ussr then? 😂

It’s a hard link.

That’s a revolutionary move.

Reformists might ln /usr /ussr.

Fuck yeah! 🐧🎉🎄

I’d have taken a crayon drawing instead.

More specifically Ubuntu LTS, since interim releases are now expectedly beta quality and require upgrades a few months after release. Ubuntu LTS, enable unattended upgrades, register and activate Ubuntu Pro for them and you won’t have to touch it for the lifetime of the hardware.

I’m trialing it but I’m also thinking of trying Linkwarden to compare.

Always use containers.

If you’re not using some sort of automatic updates, you’re not too seriously trying to make your life as trivial as possible. 😂 Just use fixed major version tags where possible in order to avoid surprise breakage.