Cyberspirit

People love "battlestation" pictures. Some love their battlestations....others; apparently not to much. I'm collecting and showcasing set ups that people clearly put no effort into presentation. I've tried to not grab ones that were posted satirically. It's like a discount 'we roast your worse setups' series that LTT did.
 
If your set up appears on this list....that's your fault, take it as a hint to clean it up!
Some pictures came from this forum, others came from various other sources including reddit, twitter and discord
 
Part1:
 
Part2:
 
 
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i didn't know hostages were allowed to have gaming PCs
 

 
OP claims they were being too loud and their roommates told them to move their PC out of their room, or shut up. but surely that wasn't the chair they were using....
 
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Fancy new steamdeck with the most generic, grotty looking HP keyboard to ever exist.
 
 

 
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Cracked wall: check
least ergonomic chair possible: check
household plumbing pipes in each reach: why?
i don't know if that's a an actual safe or just a filing cabinet, but i thought it was a water heater at first.
 
poor PC with it's RGB is really trying to carry this setup
 

 
 
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AsmonGold, is that you?
 
how do people live like this? that's a lot of cigarettes, this room probably smells like a forest fire.
 

 
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most sane arch user
 

 
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I'm desperately trying to figure out what this set up is used for
 
2 keyboards...on the floor
a plate of what looks like uncooked beef mince
essential oils
not 1, but 2 Himalayan salt grinders
camping chair
documents just everywhere
the tiniest radiator heater i have ever seen
the square monitor
step 2, the rest of the fucking picture

 
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I can forgive the non-cleanliness of the floor given this is clearly a garage/shed. what i cannot forgive is the neck problems
 
Puggle
 

 
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Cans and cans....the sticker on the PC....
at least the girl isn't in a jar
 

 
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Would not buy anything that came out of this room. guy would have to pay ME to rescue his supposed xbox from wherever it is currently buried.

 
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cables everywhere, laundry everywhere else
sure hope your streamer background is more presentable
 

 
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Infinite clutter...the things miku must have seen
has 2 3d printers but this is the most disorganized room i've seen that isn't just outright trash

 
 
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sigh...the bucket...the dust...the floor.
 
OP claims this is a sleeper PC
 

 
 
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good cat. but that's roughly it.
that is some dirty ass carpet and you could have closed the wardrobe before posting.
you are also 1 awkward foot twitch away from nuking your entire system
 
 

 
 
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Desktop looks good...what did you do to your WALL????
your molding is molding
 

 
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i know it's probably hard with the shear quantity of "stuff" in here, but just a quick vacuum would make this not look so horderish
 

 
 
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This floor on the other hand looks like it's actually make of wood shaving
and that's the nicest thing i can say about it. just...so many things wrong with this image

 
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Uneaten food, unvacuumed floor, full bin...bowling pin
and just negative legroom.

 
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stained desk, damaged wall...that..wallpaper? toes on the desk (probably why it's stained) and just a thousand pairs of 3d glasses
 

 
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the keys on that keyboard are meant to be black..just like that mouse pad.
"yes, this is how i want to show my setup to strangers on the internet"
 

 
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call back to episode 1...there is just sooooooooo many people who desperately, 100%, absolutely HAVE to make sure people know they have a gun
 
 

 

 
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that is a big wang desk....but..that carpet. i know what colour it's supposed to be, but that isn't it. clean it and get a chair mat, stop destroying your carpet
 

 
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we get it...you hydrate with way too much pizza and momo (i think)  is covered in what i can only assume is tissues. the deviluke's deserve better than that.
 
also cover up your wallpaper when taking photos...unfortunately it's maybe the most sane part of this image

 
 
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You're fooling no one with those weights. but at least you touch grass
 

 
 
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this one looks great.
 
BUT. it absolutely kills me to see, from what i can tell, a proper hardwood floor being gouged to hell and back...such a shame.
 

 
 
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and lucky number whatever
 
your desk is going to fold itself it in half
you really need to scrub that wall...and vacuum...do gamers not have vacuum cleaners?

 
 
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....
...
 
 
fuck.
 

People love "battlestation" pictures. Some love their battlestations....others; apparently not to much. I'm going to start collecting and showcasing set ups that people clearly put no effort into presentation. I've tried to not grab ones that were posted satirically. It's like a discount 'we roast your worse setups' series that LTT did.
 
If your set up appears on this list....that's your fault, take it as a hint to clean it up!
Some pictures came from this forum, others came from r/battlestations
 
let's get to it.
 
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starting with a classic and yet completely unironic cringe-dungeon
 

 
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"yeah, i own guns!"
 

 

 
sooooo many people on /r/battlestations that just HAVE to get their guns in the picture....
 
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Paper towel so convenient that the keyboard tray and back of the desk are dusty as hell
 
Could have at least moved your bin out of frame.
 
Also waaaaaaaaaaaayy too many pill bottles, they are everywhere

 
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Empty the bin!.....and also, move it out of frame when taking a picture.
 
There's even an empty Ben and Jerry's container on the cardboard box, seems to be the only thing not in the bin (if you could even fit it)
 

 
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"i'm 13 and yeah i drink"
also toilet paper
 

 
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just everything about this, why are there so many lotions?
 
why is there a bowl with a whisk on top of your computer?

 
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"i don't move anything, because i know where everything is"
 
only good thing i can say about this; "it's not dusty"
 

 
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Another picture with a bin in frame...and trash ON the desk.
 
I can't help but feel this is a victim of tunnel vision "look at my new CPU and GPU" while ignoring everything else around it
 

 
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Could have at least taken the picture from a different angle so we don't see that poor wall. also clean that glass window. I know some cases have a "smokey" finish, but it's not supposed to make your computer look like it's actually on fire inside.
 

 
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rag that's it not a great look. think of the image of a sterotypical gamer and oyu will know why i dislike seeing rags, toilet paper, paper towls etc ON the desk. especially when none of them are particularly clean
 

 
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Professional rags (what ever that means) that's it also that stupid warning sign in the top right.... really?

 
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Before taking a photo....Clean. Up. your. TRASH
 

 
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Trash and uneaten food on the right. would have been sooooo easy to just pan the camera slightly to the left.....or just take it off the desk.
 
some of those cables make me uneasy with how tight they are
 

 
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I spy toilet paper behind that right monitor.
 

 
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You might think i was going to mention the crap on top of the desk. I mean, yeah it's bad.
 
Not as bad as the bin full of tissue under the desk on the left....
also...bucket?

 
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i call this "fire hazard"
 

 
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christ, where do i start?
 
the dirty as fuck mouse pad, keyboard and monitor?
the gross side window?
the trash  on the left?
or what looks like a blood splatter on the wall?
 

 
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the rare potato camera and somehow something that looks even more like blood than the last one
 

 
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I almost didn't put this one in, but i do have questions about that subwoofer being pointed right at your crotch. An actual vibrator would be cheaper and more discrete you know?
 

 
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So close and yet some very dirty mousepads
 

 
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but not as dirty as this one, wtf
also trash!

 
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Not just 1, but 2 toilet paper rolls
 

 
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"i can "DIY" my own stand, but i don't know what a vacuum cleaner is"
 

 
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Shame the rest of the house doesn't get the kind of care and attention as the desk
 

 
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Books are probably the easiest things to clean up and look presentable, how did you fuck it up?
 

 
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No, you're not doing LED lights right
i have no idea what is even happening on the right side so i can't comment
 

 
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Such a beautiful setup......and you ruined it by using a chair on bare carpet, get a chair mat....please. that's some good looking carpet, don't destroy it.
 

 
 
 
 

The Cherry MX Black is arguably one of if the best modern Cherry switch to ever be created, the vintage kind of which is one of the most sought-after linear switches ever for its unbeatable smoothness, and ironically is labelled Cherry's best switch despite being made a few decades ago. There is a lot of debate online about what year would qualify a Cherry Black to be vintage, but generally from what I've read online, any Cherry Black switch found inside a board that was manufactured from before 1990 is considered a board with vintage Cherry Blacks inside of it.
 
Today though, I have non-vintage, re-tooled Cherry MX Blacks with me. I have used these Cherry Blacks for around two weeks now and here are my opinions and experiences with my time using the Cherry MX Black. For reference, my daily keyboard uses 67g Tealios V2s lubed with Tribosys 3204 resting on a brass plate. The board I used with the Cherry Blacks in uses the Cherry Blacks lubed with Krytox 205g0 and a carbon fiber plate, so my experiences with the Cherry Black might differ from others due to the plate material, lubing, and even keycaps difference.
 
When I first got my Cherry Blacks, I was curious as to how they would feel, as I've been advised online that re-tooled, modern Cherry Blacks feel vastly scratchier and much more inconsistent than vintage Cherry Blacks due to how much re-molding the Cherry Black has gone through.
Unfortunately, this was the case with me, as immediately as a loose switch, when I pressed down on the switch, it was really scratchy. It had about the same scratchiness as YOK Pandas, which are notoriously scratchy switches in my experience. Even stock Gateron Yellows beat these in smoothness.
 
I opened up the switch and the material wasn't actually that bad, but it was clear how rough and unpolished the material was compared to Gateron housings.
 

 
Prior to purchasing the Cherry MX Black, I knew it was going to be a heavy switch from reading the force curve. At a perceived 60g operating point, and an 80g bottom-out, it was going to be a workout for my fingers which were used to switches that bottom-out in the 60g region.
 

 
After opening up the switch, I took a look at the  stem, as I always do. Its material is fairly decent, with some minor roughness. It's a pretty standard linear stem with defined stem legs, as with all other MX linears on the market which use the same stem design. The material of the stem doesn't compare to the smoothness of other switches such as Gateron Ink Blacks or Zeal's high-end Tealios V2 switches, but it's decently smooth, and I'm sure people would not complain about it if they were obliged to use a Cherry Black.
 

 
I believe what contributes more to the abundant scratchiness of the Cherry Blacks - even after lubing - is the housing. The housings are definitely rough and course, especially when compared to something like Gateron housings. The bog standard stem combined with the 'eh'-quality housing is in my experience what makes the re-tooled Cherry Black a scratchy switch.
 

 
Typing on the Cherry Blacks was in all honesty, a pretty shameful experience. I lubed my Cherry Blacks with Krytox 205g0 - with a single Cherry Black lubed with thinner Tribosys 3204 lube to go into the Escape key - and every time I wanted to use them, the prominent scratchiness and sheer resistance of the spring was something I could not bond with. While it was a nice novelty to be able to daily run lubed Cherry Blacks, I did not find the typing experience throughout the two weeks I spent with them fun, and always found myself going back to my main board with Tealios inside them as I found the Tealios better-weighted and tenfold smoother.
 
Do I recommend the re-tooled Cherry Black? No, I don't. It's far too scratchy for what it is, and the weight is a mountain to overcome. I would much rather purchase another alternative linear such as Gateron Yellows or even Gateron Ink Blacks, as those two switches are noticeably smoother than the Cherry Black even as a stock switch, and lubing both of those options will lead to an even greater smoothness that the re-tooled Cherry Black can never achieve.
 
Sorry Cherry, but your gold standard is just a scratchy linear.

The Sakurios is a silenced linear switch from ZealPC, the Sakurios is a re-colored Zeal Healios switch with a 62g spring, and comes in a light pink tone. The Sakurios' sister, the 67g Roselios, comes in a more saturated pink to the Sakurios.
 
These switches are costly at $1.20 a switch at the time of review, and I bought 70 of these for myself unsponsored using my own money. Due to this, I had high hopes for this particular switch due to its price as well as its hype, being a re-colored, 62g-weighted Healios. I'm personally fond of the 67g Tealios also by Zeal, and I have read online that the Healios are described as a re-colored & silenced Tealio switch.
 
Cracking open the switch, it's a nice, smoothly-crafted, pink linear stem with firm rubber dampeners on the stem sliders, the stem is also a nice pink too. The material is smooth to the touch, similar to that of a Tealio or Zealio switch, it's nice quality from Zeal, especially for that pricetag per switch.
The silencing rubbers aren't too hard nor too mushy, they're just right, and when bottoming out and returning, the rubbers feel pillowy and soft, it's a nice bottom-out experience compared to traditional MX switches where bottoming out can be quite harsh and sudden. I commend Zeal for this particular rubber, it's what silenced switches should strive to achieve.
 
To compare, I'd say the smoothness of the Sakurios versus something like an Ink Black or Tealios is about 8/10, the Sakurios are noticeably less smooth than Tealios. But I'll touch on this more a bit later.
 

 
Now where this gets interesting is that when I bought my Sakurios, I ran into quite a few problems...
 
I ordered my 70 Sakurios directly from ZealPC, and about 10 of my Sakurios had loose leaves in them, whereby if I opened up those particular switches, the leaves would fall out without any force. Add to this the leaves in question bent easily, and I wonder what happened to my particular batch.
 

 
I actually had emailed ZealPC in September regarding my issue, citing that my Sakurios are consistent on the keypress, which I assume this is due to the loose leaves.
 
The response I got was as follows:
 
Now, it's to be noted that I did use Krytox 205g0 lube to lube my Sakurios which are a particularly thick lube, so I can accept that it might have been my own mistake using thick lube on silenced switches, given that it was my first time with silenced switches and that I had been recommended thick lube to use due to my lubing technique.
 
This still does not excuse the poor quality control of my particular Sakurios batch, loose leaves destroyed my experience with the Sakurios and I am deeply disappointed with the switch as a whole, especially for the price I paid for it.
 
I paid about $80 to get switches that came with loose leaves.
 
I will give ZealPC the benefit of the doubt and say that I am probably part of the 1% that got a bad batch of Sakurios, however that stil does not excuse the quality of switches that I got, like I mentioned a multitude of times throughout this review.
 
That's not to disrepect the switch in any way, the switch is still fairly smooth to use and the bottom-out is soft & pillowy, but the leaf problem I had with my batch gave me an inconsistent typing experience, as well as a sticky feeling after lubing a majority with thick lube. For the record, I used a few unlubed and experienced the same probems minus the sticky feelings, so at stock, the Sakurios feel fine albeit inconsistent.
 
I do truly hope that I'm in the minority with my batch slipping the cracks and that everyone else who bought - or buys - Sakurios experiences a pleasant actuation and soft bottom-out omitting the loose leaf issue.
And word of advice, don't use thick lube with silenced linears. I learnt the hard way.

The YOK Purple Trash Panda is the tactile (and purple) edition of the YOK Trash Panda, a linear switch which is made to be a base in the Frankenstein switch, the Holy Panda.
 
What sparked my interest about the YOK Purple Trash Panda - which I will be referring to as the Purple Panda - is that the product description across NovelKeys and mykeyboard.eu as well as other keyboard forums was that they described the Purple Panda as having the same actuation and tactility traits as the famous boutique switch, the Zealios V2. You can read my review of the Zealios V2 by clicking here.
 
On the left is the Purple Panda's stem, and on the right is the Zealios V2's stem. At first glance, you really do see striking similarities between the two switches, such as the stem legs and the color. It's like YOK were intentionally replicate the Zealios V2 and it shows below.
 

 
The main difference to both stems is the material, the Purple Panda is extremely rough to the touch as well as lubing, the material feels so unfinished and it's such a shame as it makes the switch so scratchy so use. I had to heavily lube the switch with Krytox 205g0 thick lube in order to solve the scratchiness and spring ping, and even then it didn't even rival an unlubed Zealios. The Purple Panda feels like it was sent one production line early and just isn't as polished as I feel it could've been. It's far too scratchy no matter what.
 

 
If there's any redeeming qualities about the switch - which are minimal and already listed to begin with - it's that the tactility is awesome. The tactile bump at 67g feels great if not more sharp than the Zealios V2 at 62g and 67g weights. The Polar Panda's leaf in the housing is responsible for this trait which is why the YOK Panda line's switches, specifically the housings, are so sought after to create Holy Pandas. The housing is the best part of this switch unfortunately.
 
I totally know what this switch is not best used as is and is best used to create the Holy Pandas, but I wanted to judge the switch as it is due to the fact that it is a purple variant of the YOK Trash Panda, and why would YOK create an alternate stemmed Trash Panda if the Panda housings are made to create Holy Pandas? Unfortunately in my use case, that's been answered by the fact that the stem is so scratchy and irritable that you shouldn't used these switches in the first place.
 
It's not a bad switch by any means, and for the $0.60 per switch it retails for on your average mechanical keyboards online retailer, it's a great tactile switch that beats the Gateron Brown easily. The stand-out problem with these switches is how scratchy, unkempt, and rough the stem is, it pales in comparison to the Zealios V2 which is so what it tries to replicate, and falls flat on its face due to the low quality of the stem.
Overall, it's a tactile switch that I'd take over an MX Brown, but nothing I would actively go after due to how rough and dry the switch feels to use.

The Gateron Ink Black is essentially a Gateron Black with a transparent, smoky housing and a black stem, and is highly regarded as one of, if not the most smooth MX-style switch on the market, rivaling that of Zeal's Tealios V2, and the Vintage Black.
The Ink Black is a fairly medium-weighted switch, requiring 60g of force to actuate and 70g of force to completely bottom out. My personal preferred weight for linear switches is anywhere between 62g to 67g so the 60g of actuation force is very welcome.
 
I personally like to use my linear switches lubed, but the Gateron Ink Black is one of those switches that doesn't require that treatment to be a smooth switch. It's a fantastic switch at stock, and is probably one of three switches that I'd consider using stock, next to the Tealios V2 and the NovelKeys Cream. The Gateron Ink Black is super smooth even without lube.
With that being said, I still lubed my Gateron Ink Blacks with Tribosys 3204 as I felt that it didn't require thick lube like Krytox 205g0, and it made it even smoother. I did heavily lube my switch, but it did not interfere with the travel, actuation, upstroke, return, or keypress of the switch in any way, and I prefer heavily lubing my linears as it ensures 100% smoothness. Again, not that the Ink Black needed that in the first place, regardless.
 

 
In my time scouting the switch market, I can find Ink Blacks for around $0.75-$0.80 a switch, which is fairly expensive considering the other offerings on the market, such as regular Gaterons, which can retail for as low as $0.30 a switch. However, I am confident that expending a bit more for the Ink Blacks will work in everybody who is considering a linear switch's favor, as the smoothness - once again, even at stock and unlubed - is rivalled only by the most elite switches such as the Tealios V2 and the Vintage Black - and those go for $1+ per switch each for what I can perceive having using Tealios V2 extensively as minimal improvement.
 
In fact, since using the Ink Blacks, they've become my top 2 linear switch next to the Tealios who edges it out as a close winner. The Ink Black is smooth in every regard and the spring is really high quality. The spring feels robust and full which gives the Ink Black an ultra satisfying keypress travel. The Tealios on the other hand has a fairly hollow spring which is susceptible to pinging.
 
If you're in the market for one of, if not the smoothest, linear, MX-style switch on the market for under $1 per switch, you cannot go wrong with the Ink Black. Ultra smooth stem, silky smooth housing, satisfying spring sturdiness, and excellent lubing capability, making it a solid linear switch.

The Zealios V2 are a well-regarded switch made by ZealPC in partnership with Gateron, which has come to rival the famous Holy Panda switches. This particular Zealio in my hands is a 62g weighted one, which is the lightest out of the four Zealios weights, those being 62g, 65g, 67g, and a hefty 78g version.
These Zealio switches feature a purple stem which with each weight, has a darker colored stem with the heavier weights sporting the deeper purples.
 

 
I bought my Zealios V2 from KDBfans at $1 per switch, which like its brothers, the Tealios, Healios, and the recolors Sakurios & Rosélios, are very expensive compared to other mainstream switches which retail at merely $0.30 per switch. Despite the price, I think the Zealios are what everything who enjoys tactile switches should look into, they have a satisfying tactile bump as well as smooth actuation. I would describe the Zealios V2 as Brown switches on steroids, with the tactile bump being extremely prominent while still maintaining the smoothness I expect out of a comparitive linear switch.
The tactile bump also begins at the top of the switch which makes the tactile bump satisfying while not interupting the flow of general typing. Some may find this as a disadvantage to the Zealios because traditional tactile switches tend to have pre-travel, but the fact that the Zealios starts it bump at the top with no pre-travel is an excellent design, especially with the stem leg design and how it's weighted.
 
The tactility comes from the way the legs of the stem are angled, ZealPC has crafted the stem leg's design of the Zealios V2 to be angled at such a a way that the contact leaf generates an amazingly assertive tactile bump. The meticulous convex curve in the stem is the reason the tactile bump is so satisfying, and is ultimately the reason I see the Zealios as the ultimate tactile switch.
 

 
I lubed my Zealios with Tribosys 3204 on the housing sliders, center pole, as well as the top and bottom of the spring. As for the stem, I lubed every part of the stem, which means the sliders, front, back, bottom of the sliders, and even the legs.
Even with the stem legs lubed, it is still one of the most tactile switches I have ever used, and it's a testament to the excellent design of the stem, and particularly the legs. As I mentioned before, the legs design is what gives the Zealios their amazing tactile bump, and it's what makes the switch great, even lubed.
 
The switch is my absolute favorite tactile switch, despite the price, and everyone who prefers tactile switches should experience a Zealio switch for themselves.

Going back onto the main topic of the blog though, I decided that I'm gonna use Linux for the very first time in My life on this UDOO-BOLT-V8 only! I've been using Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 for the majority of My life which have served Me well but I figured Hey!, why not try Linux as I had similarly said above. For those are curious, I've decided to install Ubuntu for now..., but I'm gonna be doing a ton of customising which will include some daily updates here on this Blog and in some of My status-updates. I hear that Linux is very flexible and I can't wait to see what options there are!  I have been suggested Arch / Manjaro / A few other distros as of recently but for now, Ubuntuuuuuu is what I've decided on!
 
What am I going to be doing on My UDOO-BOLT-V8 exactly.......?: I'm gonna using it for some Workstation Tasks, File Browsing, Web Browsing and possibly some Gaming but that heavily depends on the game(s). This is due to the specs; when/if You were to compare this to a let's say..... a Custom-Desktop with Ryzen (..or even a Laptop too) as a good example, lol.
 
 
Overall; I really hope that the UDOO-BOLT-V8 can exceed My expectations and make Me a happy Linux User!  I'm really interested in Linux!
Daily updates will be posted at random times from here on. Lol.
 
Ciao! ❤️
~Xiauj

Well guys here, we are, the end of the week but we didn't hit our goal of getting 10th, but we will get there, just keep folding. 
 
First place - The crown once again rests on the head of The King, very much as expected. @Den-Fi you are a god walking amongst us, you sailed right through the event without a care in the world. We all Raise a glass to you and your Crunching prowess.
 
Second place - We have @miker07 talking the second step on the podium, well done to you man, our new comer, you walked onto the field and smashed the ball right out the stadium. I hope you continue to fold on my friend. 
 
Third Place - Third place is taken by the man consuming heavy metals, his brain is probably mashed by all the lead in his veins and the doctors cant work why he weighs as much as he does. But with a little help from the workplace he has pushed on through taking the lowest rung on the podium, our hats go off to you. 
 
4. @Gorgon once again showing just what a healthy obsession looks like, fold on man, thank you for all the help, it is very much appreciated. 
 
5. @_Rlocke Sitting is 5th I am left asking, where did all the steam go from the folding month, and can you gain it back for the next folding month in November. 
 
6. @Ben Quigley Finding myself sitting in 6th place makes me pretty proud, Giving a good lead on the guy behind me. 
 
7. @Yabdat gave a good performance and found himself sitting in the number 6 position, I'm sure he will be quite happy with that result. 
 
8. @Corrupt_Liberty Another new guy in the mix and another top 10 spot, you did yourself well. 
 
9. @RollinLower Taking the number 9 spot, don't forget to keep folding, Hopefully you can bag yourself another GPU before November. 
 
10. @porina I have to say your aquatic landing went smoothly, you stormed up those beaches with an army of FPUs and shows them proteins just who was boss, good to see your plan(That you really did have laid out) worked smoothly. 
 
And thats it folks for the top ten, I will be doing the raffle for the steam keys in around 16 hours from now, I will tag anyone who wins and you will have 72 Hours to DM me to receive your key, if you don't get in contact by that point I will re raffle your key to someone else. You can not win two games, only one per person, if you number comes up on the RNG twice it will be re-rolled. 
 
 
 
I really am so glad you all got invoked, even if we didn't smash our goal we are well on our way. 
 
Happy Folding,
 
Ben.
 

In the beginning, there was nothing but machine, man, and ranks! 
 
This is just a PSA for the new guys here, the folding team is a small close knit community, so here's a few things I'd like you all to keep in mind. It doesn't hurt to say thank you, if someone has genuinely helped you out don't forget to drop a reaction on their posts, help others where ever you can and finally we are a team first and always. 
 
It has been some time since I has to write a daily report, so bare with me, sit back and enjoy. 
 
In first place, with not a single modicum of surprise we see @Den-Fi, the glorious king with slightly over 11m points, trailing behind with quite a gap already open is @miker07 with 8.4m points, Another large opening can be seen in front of @leadeater who currently has 6.1m points. @Gorgon finds himself just scraping behind the heavy metal eater with 5.9m points, We see yet another sizeable gap between fourth and fifth which is held by @DUW1G1T with 3.7m, but finds himself feeling a little paranoid, keeping an eye on the rear as @_Rlocke is just oh so close, practically nipping at the mans heels with 3.5m points. @Ben Quigley is that close to seventh place he must be asking himself, can the locke be picked. @Yabdat seems to be looking like he wants to give Ben a run for his money with 3.1m, but will he have the horses to overtake on the outside. In ninth we have @Corrupt_Liberty with 2.9m, @RollinLower looks like hes taking a breather already with 2.2m points.
 
 
 
Thanks for participating in the event! 
 
Happy folding,
Ben.

Well guys, 
 
Here we are again, another folding event another blog written by yours truly! Lets hope we can hit our goal of hitting 10th before the week is out!
 
First off, thank you to everyone who has signed up and is folding hard, remember we are folding as a team first, and for personal glory second, be kind, be friendly and please, let thy GPUs scream for mercy!
 
We have 30 participants signed up for this mini folding event, From the legendary @Den-Fi, it is so kind that his royal highness has graced us with his presence once again. To the newcomers in LTTs folding events such as @Corrupt_Liberty, @Hexagon, @justpoet, @mattheginger, @miker07 and@Skylake_TheMeme.
 
Its good to see some new names around here, hope you have a good time, please do let us know if we can help you and I'm sure the community will be more than willing to assist. 
 
Do remember that there are 5 random steam keys up for grabs and a grand prize provided by His Royal Highness of 50USD on steam(to be awarded to a random participant in the top 25), Please make sure we all say thank you to the man himself. 
 
If you want to know about future events don't forget to sign up for out Distributed Computing 'Newsletter'. Where I will message you guys about any upcoming DC events.
 
The full lineup is as follows;
 
Will The King take the crown again, or can anyone challenge him, @_Rlocke tried to give him a run for his money during the folding month 2018, can he pull the same rabbit out of the hat?  Can @Ben Quigley get into the top 5 for the sprint, as he fell at the last hurdle during the marathon that is the folding month. @TVwazhere Will be looking to prove himself after the great showing during last years event. Will @MillerPanda manage to get a safe top quarter finish this time around? 
 
As you can see, many of us have much to prove, but only one person can be crowned, the questino has to be asked... Can The King be challenged. 
 
Happy folding, 
 
Ben.
 
 

Introduction
Audio interference (as defined below under "Symptoms") is a defect in a system due to hardware, software or firmware problems. It is not an inevitable consequence of using an integrated audio codec or sound card.
 
Purchase of a sound card or external DAC is not necessary to fix this issue in most cases.
 
STEP 1: Sanity Check (START HERE FIRST)
Before diving into an exhaustive troubleshooting process, do some basic pre-checks:
Ensure that audio connectors are inserted into the correct jack (headphones in headphone jack, speakers in line-out) Ensure that audio connectors have the right wiring for the given jack (e.g. 3-pin plug to 3-pin jack, 4-pin to 4-pin, etc) Ensure audio connectors are fully and firmly inserted into audio jacks Ensure that software or drivers are properly configured (headphone mode for headphones, speaker mode for speakers) IMPORTANT NOTE: Make sure that your system supports the type of device you are using. If you are using headphones, make sure that your audio source supports headphones and is CONFIGURED to support headphones. A "tinny" sound may mean that you are trying to use headphones while your audio is in speaker mode.
 
Symptoms
Audio interference manifests as any of the following sounds coming through speakers, headphones, or other audio recording and playback equipment. Coil whine coming directly from a power supply, GPU, or motherboard capacitor is not audio interference, although it may be related.
Continuous static, clicks, crackles, or pops; Rice Crispy sounds Static or buzzing when moving the mouse, typing on the keyboard, or accessing physical drives Static, buzzing, or crackling when in a game or during other heavy 3D workloads Continuous hum or buzz around 60Hz and/or its harmonics Intermittent buzzing that may follow a regular pattern Possible Causes
The canned solution to audio interference is to get an external DAC or soundcard. This advice frequently results in needless expenditure and may not even address the underlying problem.
 
 
STEP 2: Diagnostic Process
As audio interference may be caused by an enormous range of problems, the purpose of diagnostics is to narrow down the proximate cause in as systematic fashion as possible. At this point do not directly attempt to solve the problem.
Perform each check in the following list. If the audio interference issue goes away, you have likely identified the cause. In some cases, no further steps may be required. If the troubleshooting step fixes the issue but is not practical for normal use (such as booting in Windows Safe Mode or disabling an overclock), consult the corresponding Solutions and Workarounds section below. FIRST STEPS:
Test different headphones/speakers on the system AND test the same headphones/speakers on a different system This will determine if the problem is related to your system or your headphones/speakers Test all audio jacks/USB ports, both on the case and on the rear motherboard IO panel A jack or port may be bad Reduce system master volume and/or game master volume from 100% to 75-80% For microphones: reduce volume and turn down gain/boost if available Disable all audio effects in the Windows Sound and Audio Devices Properties Audio effects in the Windows mixer reduce quality and can cause interference Check for Driver and Software Issues:
Try different settings in the audio drivers control panel or system audio settings Ensure that if you are using headphones that your audio is in headphone mode Ensure that if your audio settings have an impedance or gain setting that it is not too high or too low Boot Windows in Safe Mode; if the interference stops it is likely caused by a driver On Windows 7, 8, or 10, install LatencyMon to determine the responsible driver On Windows XP or Vista, install DPC Latency Checker. You will need to systematically disable devices in hardware manager to narrow down the cause. Disable unused audio devices in the Windows Device Manager Check Task Manager for resource hogs and real-time priority processes Perform a full virus scan Check for Power Management Issues:
Disable C1E (Enhanced halt state) and EIST (Intel SpeedStep) in BIOS Set Windows Power Plan to Power Saver or High Performance Disable all overclocks (CPU, GPU, RAM, etc) Check for Hardware Issues:
Disable unused/non-essential motherboard components at the BIOS level, such as NICs or RAID/SATA controllers Disconnect ALL non-audio peripherals (including mouse, keyboard, and display) Disconnect front audio header and use motherboard rear-panel or sound card; if you are already using rear-panel audio, try front-panel instead Remove discrete graphics cards Remove discrete soundcard Check for Electrical Shorts and Grounding Issues:
Remove case side panels; check for unwanted electrical contact between components such as wires and electrical contacts Disconnect front audio header Verify that the motherboard is firmly secured. Standoffs and screws should be firm. Ensure the motherboard is firmly seated in the IO plate, and that the IO plate is firmly seated in the case. Verify that the power supply is properly secured in the case and that it is connected to a grounded (3-prong) outlet Check for Wireless Interference:
Relocate possible sources of EMI/RFI interference away from the computer and audio equipment (wireless access points, wireless peripherals, mobile phones, microwave ovens, etc) Unplug other appliances that may be source of interference over AC power This includes but is not limited to: household appliances, dimmer light switches, and other computers Connect the system a different AC wall socket, preferably on a different circuit breaker Check External Cabling:
Try switching out audio signal or data transmission cables for working spares If experiencing interference in only one channel of a multi-channel system, swap the channel cables Move AC power cables as far away as possible from audio and digital cables, and eliminate parallel runs where possible Swap compatible AC power cables or switch them out for a working spare Check Electrical Wiring:
Obtain and use an AC wall socket tester (usually available for less than $10); if issues are found, try a different outlet or re-wire If you do not have a socket tester, try plugging your system into another outlet, preferably a kitchen or bathroom GFCI outlet, which are generally required to be grounded by code STEP 3: Solutions and Workarounds
Audio Settings:
Disable microphone gain or effects in the Windows Sound and Audio Devices Properties Test different sampling rates in the Windows Sound and Audio Devices Properties; for example 16 vs 24 bit, 44.1kHz vs 192kHz. Audio Device Conflict:
Disable unused audio devices in the Windows Sound and Audio Devices Properties OR Windows Device Manager
This includes the HDMI audio output included on many GPUs Disable unused recording devices in the Windows Sound and Audio Devices Properties OR Windows Device Manager Peripherals:
Try peripherals in different USB ports Add-on Cards:
Move add-on cards, including GPU, and ensure they are properly seated Re-seat auxiliary power cables Use different power harness combinations if available from power supply Ensure that motherboard and IO plate are properly seated (grounded) Disable SLI and remove one card; re-boot and re-enable SLI Software:
Disable unnecessary startup programs and services, especially those that are audio-related
Exercise caution; some startup items might be essential to the proper function of your computer Drivers/BIOS:
Flashing the BIOS or changing the CMOS can cause the memory and PCI performance to improve. Occasionally, this can cause performance to degrade. For more information about specific versions or for information about updates, please contact your motherboard manufacturer.
Download and install latest audio drivers from motherboard manufacturer website
You may need to use a beta driver or even downgrade in some situations Download and install latest graphics drivers from GPU manufacturer website
You may need to use a beta driver or even downgrade in some situations Remove and reinstall default Windows audio drivers (uninstall device and scan for hardware changes in Windows Device Manager) Update other device drivers from motherboard manufacturer website
For unused devices (SATA controllers, etc): Uninstall driver and disable device in BIOS or Windows Device Manager Update motherboard BIOS using latest downlaod from motherboard manufacturer website (use caution) Ensure that SATA devices are not conflicting with PCI memory resources. Changing to a different controller may help. Internal Cabling:
Re-route AND/OR add shielding to the front audio header cable Try different power harness combinations from the power supply: for example, if using two PCIe power cables for a GPU, try a single cable with a splitter (if available) External Cabling:
Move audio signal and data cables away from power cables and AC lines and/or ensure they intersect at 90 degree angles Use properly shielded 2.0 spec USB cables for audio: Tripp Lite USB 2.0 Hi-Speed A/B Cable with Ferrite Chokes Belkin Gold Series USB A to B Cable Replace defective AC power cables Tripp Lite Heavy Duty Computer Power Cord 14AWG 15A Verify that all wall-powered peripherals are plugged into the same outlet via an EMI/RFI filtered power strip See below under "Electrical wiring/Ground loop" for a more robust line filtering solution Electrical Wiring/Ground Loop:
Verify that all wall-powered peripherals are plugged into the same outlet via an EMI/RFI filtered power strip: For more robust AC line filtering: Tripp Lite LC1200 Line Conditioner 1200W Purchase a ground loop isolator of the type appropriate for the audio connection that is causing the issue: PAC SNI-1 RCA Noise Isolator PAC SNI-1/3.5 3.5-mm Noise Isolator HifimeDIY USB Isolator Mpow Ground Loop Noise Isolator If your electrical wiring is a fault, you may need to have it fixed by a qualified electrician Sources and References
Creative Worldwide Support PS Audio: How to find and fix hum in 3 easy steps

I have failed traditional weight loss. Mostly as others due to lack of motivation and commitment. Diet is not horrible, but not great. I never took the initiative to learn to cook as a kid, even though my mom cooked constantly. So when college came around and I was free reign, I didn't take care of myself. It's taken years of mistakes to learn to manage myself better, but damage is done. 
The reason I'm writing this is two fold. 
1. If I expose it to criticism, I have to face it head on. I will be dealing with it, thinking about it, seeing reactions if any. Also it will help me keep up with it in general.
2. I've seen many talk about trying to lose weight and I want to share my experience and hope it helps others
 
The Current Situation:
I'm currently 325 lbs and 6' 2.5". I eat far too much meat, cheese and bread, and barely any veggies and fruits. While my height means I'm not too round looking, it is noticeable and between rashes and chaffing and belt imprints, I am feeling the effects. I have 4 kids and don't feel like I can play with them as much as I should.
 
The Goal:
Ideally I want to get back to 200, but I'd settle for 220. Breaking the goal down, my first goal is to get under 300, then work from there to 275, and so on.
 
The Methodology:
I get bored EASILY. running on a treadmill is very tough to be motivated with. I don't have a lot of time and I have 4 kids at home. Pretty much everything will have to be in house. My current approach is using Beat Saber VR and other vr games whenever I get a rift come tax return. Along with eating healthy, lots of water, and a little pedal that goes under the desk (as soon as I actually remember to take it to work), I hope I can start losing weight slowly but steadily.
I will try to post the number daily, but I might just do it weekly. I will be describing any significant choices I've made and how things effect me. I don't know if anyone will be reading all this nonsense, but I want to give as much information as possible.
 
The Conclusion:
*the thought of doing exercise and being motivated and eating healthy gave Jtalk4456 a stroke*
The End XD
Cya tomorrow
(Don't do drugs, kids!)

@Cyberspirit
ok, so there's my top by looks, my top by personality, and there's my first waifu that will forever hold a spot.
My first waifu was Hinata Hyuuga
My top by personality is a tie between Sakie Satou and Hinata
Looks are a tie between later Hinata and Zero Two
There are other contenders that I can't remember off hand, but those are my top right now
Edit: I can't believe I left out Hestia under the personality section! that is now a three way tie

Not piggybacking off ANY of my peeps here, but I figured I'd do an AMA for sh*&s and giggles.
Rules
1. No TOPIC is a problem, though I can't guarantee everything will be answered if it gets too personal
2. While no TOPIC is a problem, respect is required and as such, please tone down any language, no harrassment, no abusive language. Just questions and answers in nice english.
3. Do your worst! Or not, if you do it's probably too personal and won't get answered
4. I'm not talking politicians here. You can ask my opinion on an issue, but no trump this hillary that.
 
Comment your questions and I will make a topic for each answer

Hi all.
 
Bet you didn't know this place existed
 
So I've decided to run an ongoing AMA for no real reason than to let others find out more about me and I feel like I need to open up a bit more in life, and since i spend so much time here, might as well start here. It's hopefully a way to deal with my shyness RL by letting others "ask me anything" and help me build confidence, plus i still have some form of anonymity so i'm more likely to share things here that i wouldn't with people I work with, are friends with RL Etc. So in effect you're kind of helping me 
 
There's three ways you can do this. 
Send me a PM here on the forums if you don't mind the question(s) being attributed to you If you would prefer to remain anonymous with your question(s), you can send an email to Arika.ama@gmail.com. Leave it as a comment at the bottom of this entry. Obviously other people will be able to see your question  
I will endeavor to respond to every question as accurately as possible without revealing too much about my identity as I still intend to keep a disconnect between real life and online.
 
Some questions may be unanswered depending on what was asked, ie too personal. If such a question is received, i will still respond, but just saying that it will not be answered.
 
So you can ask my Anything, but not everything will receive an answer.

Appropriate questions and answers will be put on this blog. Unless otherwise specified, I will not indicate who asked the question i will just list it and the answer. You can ask as many questions as you like.

~Arika
 
 

Questions and Answers will be listed below.
 
------------------
The Basics
 
Name: Erica S (that's all you're getting)
Age: 27 (At time of posting)
Gender: Female
Nationality: Australian
 
 
Answered Questions:
 
Do you have any pets?: I have 1 cat, and she is a brat, but i love her.
 
What is your favorite video game genre and how has it impacted your life? Has it taught you a valuable lesson or skill?: Definitely Simulation, and maybe as weird as it sounds, the one that has impacted me the most was Eurotruck Simulator 2. I have a much greater respect for trucks on the road while i'm driving. I used to hate driving around or behind them, but now i understand them a bit more.
 
What brought you to this forum, and what keeps you here compared to other forum?: It started when i was researching what laptop to purchase. But I do this thing where i research too much and the longer it lakes the less likely i am to pick something and just go with it. So i wanted to get other people's opinions instead of just reading reviews and the manufacturer support forums. I never intended to stick around, but the longer i stayed the more i started learning about different things regarding technology. Plus there's some good people on this forum so i decided to stick around, and 3000 posts later, here i am :D 
 
What’s your occupation ?: My official Job title is "Senior Team Member" which is generic as hell. I work at a fairly large financial institution in a "call centre" department that is specifically for supporting the rest of our staff, mainly the branches, but sometimes we deal with other departments. Basically if the branch doesn't know a process, policy, requirements, guidelines etc, they will generally call us. We're basically Google within our organisation if you could call them up to ask questions and steal less of your information. We don't deal directly with customers.
 
Biggest fear besides social contact: As cliché as it might be; Death. It's just the uncertainly of it, not the event. How will it happen? When will it happen? What will happen to the loved ones I leave behind? (this being the main one).
 
You go to the docs, not feeling well. Doc says stage 4 lymph cancer and gives you three months to live. What do you do with the remaining time?how dark. I would probably freak out for the first couple of days, but i would try not to change too much. most people would say "go traveling" or "do <expensive thing>" but i would save as much money as possible so it can all go to my partner after i pass. there isn't really anything that i would say "i have to experience X before i die". i would prepare everything i can so there's nothing my loved ones have to worry about finalising after it. last thing i want to do is give them things that will prolong their mourning.
 
What's your favourite colour?: Depends on the context. But generally it's Blue or Purple
 
Do you want to pursue your current career, or blow a hole in the side of the dreary office building in which you are imprisoned, hide for a decade, then return to conquer all civilization and impose a new world order?: Honestly, it's probably my co-workers that are the reason I'm staying in the role i'm in. we have a great team and I don't think i'd have the kind of connections I currently do if i went off to do something else. Some days i do wish i could just get up and leave because i deal with a lot of stupid people everyday. But ultimately it's a fairly easy job, laid back enough that i don't get TOO stressed and the pay makes me happy
 
What would you say is the largest obstacle you’ve had to overcome and why?:  I haven't had many "hardships" in life, but the thing that stands out most would be bringing my self to drive again after a car accident when i was 19 that i had no right in surviving, let alone walking away with a few minor scratches. came over a blind hill as some guy crossed into my lane trying to turn into another street (80km/h speed limit so effectively around 140-160km impact for both cars). hit head on, airbags (which are not soft in any way) car written off. Ambulanced to hospital, xray'd, only had a scratch on my cheek from the (metal rods in) airbag. nothing broken, no internal bleeding. but just the feeling of dread in the split second. i didn't drive for the next like 8 months
 
On such a male dominated forum for a normally predominantly male hobby/interest how do you deal with people misgendering you?: That's simple, I don't care. If people use the wrong pronoun when talking about me, or use any other gendered language that is incorrect, I just move on, I have no desire to try to correct people on it. It's not something I want to flaunt or constantly bring up. I've listed female on this AMA and my profile. Everything else doesn't matter because I don't want my gender to be my defining characteristic. 
 
Not sure what kind of games you are into but, what are your experiences with online games that use voice chat?: I've given up on using voice chat. The "good" experiences outweigh the bad in terms of numbers only. but the bad experiences outweighed the good in terms of everything else. Most of the time the reaction was "cool a girl" that's it. Just wanting to get a girls attention is rarer (at least in my case), generally it was people berating me, verbally abusing me (for any little mistake, or even like dying in a FPS game where respawning is a thing) sexual comments, unwanted PMs and friend requests. Some people just get really weird when playing an online game and they know there's a girl, it's like they lose all semblance of how to act normal because there's the anonymity of being online.
 
Who's your Hollywood crush?: I'm going to cheat and give you one of each
Actor: Benedict Cumberbatch specifically with Dr Strange look (and omg the voice)
Actress: Natalie Portman
 
Whats your favorite musical instrument and why?: I never learned to play it, but it would be the Harp. String instruments are by far my favourite type of all instruments. the harp is the most graceful in my opinion and the most interesting.
 
What was your favorite subject in school?: It's a close race between Drama and Graphic Design. Neither of them actually help with my current job but they were by far the most enjoyable classes
 
Pineapple on pizza? Also, What's your favorite topping?: I do like me some Hawaiian Pizza, so yes, I think pineapple is fine. Favourite is either Aussie or just BBQ Meatlovers.
 
Are you gay?: I'm not "gay", no. You would most likely be able to classify me as Bi, with a male preference. When I was single I was more prone to look for a boyfriend but i wouldn't say no to another female if i liked them. I have had girlfriends before when I was younger but those just kind of happened.
 
If you had to chose a super power, what would it be - and why?: 
Shape-shifting. Who wouldn't want the ability to like like what ever they wanted? Most people would say flight or something boring, but with Shape-shifting i could turn into a bird (or, hell, even a dragon) and be able to fly anyway. it's just such a versatile power that has endless possibilities. My backup would be Telekinesis.
 
What is your favourite computer part, and why?: Keyboard is what i'm the most picky about. It's hard to find a keyboard i'm happy with, but once i find it, i can swap out as many other parts as needed, but the keyboard will stay the same.
 
I see that you like simulator games. What are some simulator games that you like to play?:  Mainly been playing DCS World lately. Every now and then i'll boot up EuroTruck Simulator 2, Train Sim World 2020 and Xplane 11. But DCS is definitely my go to.
 
Being a female would you say that you fit the Ozzie stereotype of excessive drinking and cursing or would you class yourself as having a more feminine personality?: I barely drink. i drink like twice a year. I do curse when I'm around people im comfortable with (not excessive though), I also know how to turn it off when i need to be professional or around new people. I wouldn't call my self feminine either. I feel like I'm half way between girly and tom-boyish. To be honest, I have no idea what i am.