Make Assignment Operator a cleaner way using this method
At least 8-12 lines of codes including braces
You can write this way below to achieve the same result!
4 lines of code only :D
If you’ve been feeling a persistent itch to talk about water dispensers, today's your lucky day. Picture this: My trusty Novita has been keeping me hydrated for a solid five years. That is until it decided to remodel itself through extensive water leakage. The price of maintenance seemed more like a gentle reminder of poor financial planning rather than a DIY hobby. Let's break it down: two replaceable parts, a couple hundred in costs, and my bank account whimpering for mercy.
As a loyal customer who's faithful to their water filters, I pondered whether Novita’s rep would frown upon my notion of waiving the repair fees. Spoiler alert: they politely listened, smiled, and assured me they'd pass my feedback along heaven-to-Hades.
Two months later, the leaky revue was back. The Novita team dropped by, tightened some mystical bolts, waved their hands, and pronounced, "Wear and tear, my friend!" On the silver lining side, they did couple this second visit with a freebie—no repair fee.
But the realization was clear as spring water: It was time for a change. I sought a new dispenser that wouldn’t financially nibble at my savings or cause unexpected leaks while I’m trying to work from home. So, my friend, here's what I'm hunting for and probably that will also help you in your next purchase:
After I changed my dispenser, I did a check on the wattage used as you can see here. I replaced my water dispenser in October. So, September was the Novita Water Dispenser, consuming 16.27 kWh, whereas November was the Unikul using 13.69 kWh. Initially, the difference seemed negligible.
This got me pondering: Do tank and tankless dispensers really offer significant efficiency differences? At this point, the verdict seems to be that they might not—yet. Perhaps with a few more months of observation, more answers will emerge.
In the meantime, let's celebrate the snippet-sized savings and improved kitchen aesthetics. After all, every little wattage win is a step toward a more sustainable (and less appliance-disaster-prone) home.
In the end, finding the right dispenser isn’t just about smart shopping; it’s a quest for liquid efficiency without sacrificing sanity or savings. Let’s hope my new companion won't have a Midlife Crisis five years down the road!
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| My 1st Server |
I remember when I first set up my home server back in 2011. What was my objective? Why did it come about? Initially, my plan was simple: to store files, music, and documents using Windows OS as a basic file server. Those were the days when digital media was becoming increasingly popular.
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| It was a very tight casing |
As a geeky person, I wanted more. I began exploring ways to set up a NAS or more advanced file server. That’s when I discovered Windows Home Server—which, by the way, has since reached end-of-life (EOL), as Microsoft discontinued it due to limited market demand. I used it until around 2013, then transitioned to Windows Server 2013 Essentials. Eventually, I discovered Unraid—and fell in love with it.
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| My 2nd Server become bigger |
Unraid is a flexible Linux-based operating system packed with powerful features:
Over the years, Unraid has evolved into what many now call a "HomeLab"—a personal tech playground built with affordable hardware and accessible software, often deployed via Docker containers.
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| My 3rd server and even bigger than before |
It’s like having your own mini server setup, where you can tinker with technology in a sandbox environment and experiment with new software without disrupting your main services. You could call it tech DIY for grown-ups 😄.
When I first started, I wanted all services to run from a single server. I bought a gigabit Ethernet 4-port NIC and set up an enterprise-grade software router using pfSense. The performance was unmatched, especially with ad-blocking plugins.
However, there was one major issue: whenever my Unraid server went down, my entire local network went down with it. Not ideal—especially when you’re sharing a household!
Eventually, I separated the router component and replaced it with a lightweight but powerful hardware router running OpenWRT. This way, even if I need to restart Unraid, my network stays up. I’m pretty happy with this setup—it only consumes about 5 watts via USB-A and runs AdGuard for ad blocking.
Instead of running a reverse proxy server, I now use:
My Unraid server has grown into a multi-purpose powerhouse:
AI technology has been exploding lately. New tools and frameworks are making it easier than ever to integrate AI into everyday workflows. I’ve started experimenting with automation using platforms like n8n and MCP. I just wish I had more time to dive deeper!
In future articles, I plan to share more about the specific tools and setups I use with my Unraid server. Stay tuned!
Can you recall a Teams meeting where you were in a group with people of different nationalities and had difficulty understanding them—either because of their accents or because they spoke too fast? Thanks to Windows' new Live Captions feature, I can now keep up with what they're saying.
This is truly a godsend. Windows now supports live captions and even real-time translation*.
*Note: The live translation feature is currently available only on Copilot+ PCs. That means it requires a Snapdragon X processor with an NPU capable of more than 40 TOPS. AMD and Intel are expected to roll out compatible chips soon.
Ah, the sweet relief of hitting the refresh button on a dusty blog that's been collecting virtual cobwebs since 2021. It’s been a whirlwind four years ("last blog post was in 2021" now reads like ancient history!).
After clocking in countless hours at work, I finally took a minute to breath (and reminded myself that my keyboard isn’t the only thing that needs a break). During this time, the world didn't just keep spinning, it did so on the axis of technological innovation. AI, the prodigal child of tech, returned with a bang, seemingly having a sleepover with every product under the sun. They forgot to invite us, but we follow keenly! It's hip to hop on the AI bandwagon if you want to play in today’s market.
Here I am, back at the keyboard, not necessarily excited but more relieved to share the tech treasures I’ve been amassing. It might've been work and life throwing curveballs, but never the desire to share thoughts on everything tech and AI from this little nook on the internet.
In the coming weeks, expect some musings about my beloved home server (or shall I say, my new-age digital tree house?). Home labs are the rage now, and frankly, who could resist the allure of DIY server adventures in your very own homestead?
Stay tuned, and here's hoping my next hiatus isn't quite as extended as the last!
