Kev QuirkModify

2026-04-29 19:27:00

I saw this post in my RSS reader this morning, followed by a reply from Alex, so I thought I'd add my own opinion to the mix.

I'm similar to David and Alex - I'm not forthcoming with the fact that I have a blog, but I don't hide it either. I think that's mainly because most of my friends and family won't really care about what I write here, so it's a pointless exercise.

I know there are a couple of friends who read what I write regularly, and I'm not sure how they came across my blog - like I said, I don't advertise it. Having said that, my real name is Kev Quirk, so if anyone who knows me searches for my name, I imagine this blog would be close to, if not the, top hit.

When people ask me about my hobbies, I tend to say "I enjoy writing" rather than "I have a blog." And I think that's because of the negative connotations blogging has with the general public.

I think some people tend to put "bloggers" in the same bucket as influencers, or podcasters. Which isn't the case - many of us bloggers have no aspirations of influencing anything, we just like to share out thoughts on a medium we control. If it comes up in conversation though, I'll nonchalantly say that I have a blog.

Anyway, that's my response. Who knows that you blog?

2026-04-28 21:55:00

The Papirus icon theme is my favourite - I've used it for years and it continues to work beautifully. So while I've been rebuilding my Framework 13, it was one of the first things I installed.

But there's a problem, dear reader. You see, I'm a proud light mode person, but I regularly switch to dark mode when working in the evening. However, Ubuntu has this silly bug where it switches back to the default Yaru icon theme whenever one switches between light and dark mode.

Annoying.

On my previous machine I had a cronjob running every minute that simply checked the theme and switched it to Papirus if it was Yaru. That worked fine, but wasn't the most elegant solution.

So, this time I did more research and came up with a slightly more elegant fix workaround.

How to "fix" it

Ok, it's pretty simple. It consists of a small script that runs whenever Ubuntu flips between light/dark mode, then 0.2 seconds later, switches the icon theme back.

Far from perfect, but it's better than a script that runs every minute the machine is running.

To do this, create a new script at ~/.local/bin/watch-darkmode.sh with the following contents:

gsettings monitor org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme | while read -r line; do
    if echo "$line" | grep -q "prefer-dark"; then
        sleep 0.2
        gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface icon-theme 'Papirus-Dark'
    elif echo "$line" | grep -q "default"; then
        sleep 0.2
        gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface icon-theme 'Papirus'
    fi
done

You need to make the script executable, so run this next:

chmod +x ~/.local/bin/watch-darkmode.sh

Next thing is create a .desktop file that tells GNOME to automatically start the script when we log in:

# Create the file
nano ~/.config/autostart/watch-darkmode.desktop

# Paste this into the nano window
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Watch Dark Mode
Exec=/home/YOUR-USERNAME/.local/bin/watch-darkmode.sh
Hidden=false
NoDisplay=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true

Remember to change YOUR-USERNAME on the Exec= line to whatever your Ubuntu username is.

That's it! Log out, and back in again, and the script should be doing it's thing in the background. So the next time you switch between light and dark mode, your fancy-pants icon theme should persist.

2026-04-27 21:41:00

In case you hadn't heard (it's all I've been going on about for a couple weeks, so you probably have heard - sorry) I spilled coffee on my Framework 13, then after lots of testing and cleaning, I confirmed that the main board was dead.

The new main board was delivered this morning, so I went ahead and got it fitted to the chassis. Problem is, I'd pissed about the partitions on the 2TB NVMe so I could dump my install on the 1TB NVMe in my new ThinkPad T480. I tried booting up and fixing the 2TB NVMe, but it was screwed, so I cut my losses and went for a re-install of Ubuntu 24.04 instead.

I'm aware that Ubuntu 26.04 LTS has been released, but I prefer to wait for the first point release before upgrading.

After 10 minutes or so, the plucky little Framework was alive!

So I spent most of the day (on my day off) configuring the fresh Ubuntu install back to how I had it before. Luckily the ThinkPad is working great, so I could use that as a reference to get everything pretty much exactly the same. After 3 or so hours work, we're back up and running with all my apps, data, and config restored.

Another issue

While setting up the laptop, I noticed that there was an issue with the screen. At first I thought it was just some residue from coffee-gate, but on closer inspection it looks like the bottom corner has somehow de-laminated.

I know this wasn't caused by the coffee spillage, as the stain would be brown. Plus the laptop would smell. I'm wondering if it's some isopropyl alcohol, or contact cleaner, from when I cleaned it out.

The only other explanation is that it has de-laminated due to the heat in the conservatory, but I doubt it. It doesn't get that hot in there, and it's only April.

This is the second problem I've had with screens on the Framework. The bottom of the screen de-laminated just a week after I got the laptop. I thought it was a fluke, and Framework support sent me a replacement immediately, but this has me thinking that the screens just aren't that good.

Can anyone else who has a Framework 13 confirm if they've had issues with the 2880x1920 display?

Final thoughts

Anyway, this is the last update in the saga. For all intents and purposes the Framework is now repaired. I'm waiting to hear back from Framework support to see if they have any recommendations, but if not, I'll probably have to buy a new screen too.

It's lovely to be back typing this post on the Framework. I've really missed this laptop, and the typing experience.

Geez this has been one expensive mistake! Take note, people - if you drink coffee around your computers, keep a lid on the cup!

2026-04-27 03:21:00

After 10 years of loyal service, the motorbike jacket that I wear most often gave up the ghost recently and ripped. Being a piece of protective clothing, a rip isn't a good thing, so I've been shopping around for a replacement.

But you see, motorbike jackets are complex, heavy garments that are littered with protective pads. They used to come with back protectors too, but it was later decided that these were too expensive, so you had to buy one separately.

No problem, they're standardised so you buy a good one and it can last you decades. There's just a big void in the back of the jacket with a number of velcro patches that any back protector will cling to.

That's what I have in my old jacket, and I assumed it was still the same now.

So today I bought myself a new jacket. It cost me £380 (on sale!) but you can't put a price on safety, right? I also have protective trousers that zip to my jacket all the way around my waist.

But the zip on my new jacket isn't compatible with the zip on my old trousers (how the fuck can a ZIP be incompatible??) so I bought the matching trousers for the new jacket, costing another £300.

So now I'm £650 lighter in the bank, but I have good quality motorbike clothing that should last me another decade.

This evening I went to swap the back protector from my old jacket to the new, only to find that many manufacturers now have brand-specific pads for their clothing that sit in perfectly sculpted pockets.

The specific back protector (which is a bit of rubber with some holes in it) for my jacket is fifty fucking pounds. So now I'm at £700.

Fifty quid's worth of rubber, apparently

Fuck that. I've bought a generic (but good quality) one, and I'll cut it to size.

Vendor lock-in

Whether it's phones, social networks, communication platforms, printer ink, laptop chargers, smart home systems, games consoles, coffee machines, electric toothbrush heads, camera batteries, or fucking motorbike jacket back protectors. Nothing is interchangeable.

It seems that every day another piece of standardisation is being washed away, and we as consumers need to make our choices, invest, and stick to a brand. You can switch, but it's gonna cost ya!

It's fucking ridiculous.

Over and over again we get shafted, and there's not a single thing we can do about it. I'm so tempted to take the jacket back for a refund, but what do I do then? I need a jacket for riding. I'd be screwed.

Fuck bike jacket manufacturers that do this. Fuck vendor lock-in. Fuck. This.

</rant>

2026-04-25 18:48:00

Since my Framework had a coffee bath, I've been using a ThinkPad T480 that I picked up from eBay for £285 ($385).

This has been my main laptop for a few days now, and I have some thoughts, so I thought I'd share them since I've read mixed reviews on these plucky little laptops - everything from:

They're the best laptops in the world, EVARRRRR!

To:

They're overrated and overpriced - stop buying them!

My opinion is that the T480 is somewhere in the middle of these 2 opinions. Let's just in...

Price and condition

Like I said, I paid £285 for this laptop, which was listed as very good condition - refurbished". And I agree - the condition of the laptop is very good, especially considering it's been a corporate laptop and is 8 years old at this point.

It came with a 14" 1080p screen, 16GB RAM, a Core I5-8250U CPU (4 core, 8 thread @ 3.4GHz), a 256GB NVMe, and Windows 11 (which was promptly removed). I had a 1TB NVMe lying around, so I upgraded that first, and I've also bought a 32GB RAM upgrade costing an additional £70 ($95).

The RAM upgrade hasn't been delivered yet, so these thoughts are based on 16GB RAM.

My T480 (yes, those stickers needs to go)

Design and functionality

This laptop has bezels for days compared to my Framework, but that's to be expected. It's an old, utilitarian laptop - that didn't stop me getting a bit of a shock when I first cracked it open though. Now I've been using it a few days, the bezels don't bother me though.

I've always liked ThinkPad keyboards, and this is no exception. It works great, and has lots of travel on the keys, which I always appreciate. It's not as nice as the keyboard on my Framework, but I think that's the best keyboard I've ever used, Macbook included.

I'm not a fan of the textured finish that's all over this laptop though. It's on the case, on the keyboard, the trackpad, everywhere. It's like a slightly rubberised, gritty finish. It doesn't impact the functionality of the laptop, I'm just not a big fan of it.

The keyboard is backlit too, which I appreciate.

Battery and performance

Honestly, I was expecting the battery to be crap on the T480, being second-hand. But I was so wrong! It came with an extended battery fitted, and on checking it over, it's only had 2 charge cycles, so it brand new.

The battery will last all day, no problem at all. The other day I ran it for an entire working day, and at 15:00 it still had 61% charge left, with Ubuntu reporting another 6.5 hours of use remaining. That's incredible, in my opinion.

Ubuntu runs perfectly on this - all drivers were discovered fine, and I managed to get the fingerprint reader working with just a little bit of DuckDuckGo-fu.

Performance is good too. Everything feels snappy with no lag. Obviously it's not instant like on my Framework, but that thing is a powerhouse. Having said that, I could see myself using the T48 long-term without issue.

I'm currently running Firefox, Spotify, Obsidian, VSCodium, and a few other bits. Here's how the Ubuntu System Monitor looks:

So I'm using about half my RAM, and between 20-40% of the CPU. I don't need to upgrade the RAM, but it's nice to have the extra overhead in case I ever do need it.

I'm not much of a gamer, but the T480 will consistently run Minecraft at 40ish FPS, which is fine, and honestly better than I expected.

Final thoughts

Overall I think the T480 was good value for money. It's in really good condition, performs well, and is almost as repairable as my Framework. I think this laptop still has years of life left in it, so will it sit in a drawer once the Framework is repaired?

No, that would be a waste of both money, and a perfectly good laptop. My wife is currently using a 2014 X1 Carbon that I used for many years before switching to the Macbook M1 Air. The X1 is still going strong, but it's starting to struggle in its old age. Not to mention that my wife is still running Windows 10 on it!

So once the Framework is repaired, I'll be giving this laptop to my wife where it should continue to provide solid service for years to come, all while being a nice upgrade for her. The X1 will get the latest version of Ubuntu installed on it, and will be put out to pasture as the spare laptop for the household.

If you're on the fence about picking a T480 up, I'd say go for it. While they're no powerhouse, and won't win any beauty awards, they're a solid workhorse that still have many years of service left in them.

I'm very happy with my purchase.

2026-04-23 21:43:00

A week or so ago, I talked about how I might have killed my Framework 13 by dumping a full mug of coffee over it while it was running.

In that last post I explained how I'd stripped the laptop down and was waiting for some isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to be delivered so I could more thoroughly clean it. Well dear reader, the IPA turned up, I cleaned it as best I could, and left it for 24 hours to dry off.

The next day I came back to it, re-assembled it and hit the power button with a fair amount of trepidation.

Nothing.

I think it's dead, Jim. And I can't help thinking that turning the laptop on in haste, after the first clean is what completely screwed it. Oh well, we live and learn.

In my desperation, I contacted Framework support and explained the whole saga to see if there was anything I was missing.

There wasn't. They told me that the LED pattern I was seeing when powered on was indicative of a communication error with the board, so it's dead and needed to be replaced.

Problem is, a new board is £700 (~$950) and I didn't fancy shelling out that much money out of my own pocket, so I contacted my home insurance provider to make a claim, and to be fair they were great.

A case was logged and a couple of days later I had a payout that would cover the whole amount.

The new board and a ThinkPad

The payout from the insurance was more than the repair cost, so I decided to upgrade from my current Ryzen 7 7840, to an AI 300 series board instead - nice little upgrade!

The Framework site said it would be shipped in 5 days, and would probably be subject to delays of a further 7 days due to global freight disruptions. So I bought myself a ThinkPad T480 to see me through (which I'm typing this post on) as I couldn't bear to be on MacOS for another second.

Framework overachieved again and the board is due for delivery tomorrow (Friday 24th April 2026).

Nice!

Once the board is delivered and my beloved Framework is (hopefully) working again, this nice little ThinkPad will go to my wife as an upgrade from here 2014(!) Gen 2 X1 Carbon.

How did it die?

I've had a few people reach out telling me that they'd done something similar and their device's had survived. Unfortunately I wasn't as lucky, so what happened?

I think it's because I didn't spill the coffee on my laptop, but next to it. Then as the puddle of coffee made its way over my desk and inevitably under my laptop, the spinning fan must have sucked it up and perfectly spread the coffee all over the main board.

Thanks for that. Stupid fan. 🤣️

Had I spilled the coffee on my laptop, it would have had to make its way through the keyboard and chassis before it got to the board, by which point I would have had the laptop switched off and draining.

I can't say for sure, but that's my theory.

So anyway, wish my luck with the new board, folks!