[kwlug-disc] Frugality and greenery from ifixit; re: m1 and unpleasant rest

[Mikalai Birukou]

> This link from ifixit 
> https://www.ifixit.com/News/48804/if-you-absolutely-have-to-buy-an-m1-mac-buy-the-mac-mini
>
> mentions use of external nvme drive. Yes. You buy mac mini to drag it 
> through whatever workloads. Get smallest size internal drive, and get 
> external one for less money, upgradability,  and repair once workloads 
> eventually destroys ssd cells.
>
> Memory doesn't fade as fast as ssd, so get maximum of internal memory. 

And to follow on the need to use external nvme is a quote from 
https://eclecticlight.co/2021/01/14/m1-macs-radically-change-boot-and-recovery/

"""

This ingenious new boot process does have consequences, though. Failure 
of internal storage means failure of the whole Mac, which can’t then 
boot from an external disk, which lacks the essential iSC and can’t 
provide 1TR either. I think this is already true for Macs with T2 chips, 
with their single security policy, rather than one for each bootable 
operating system as in the M1. I suspect it’s also, in part at least, 
responsible for the lack of an Internet Recovery Mode in M1 Macs.

"""


To echo, in my current need for apple gitlab runner, I replaced HDD for 
SSD in intel's mini, and mentioned "Internet Recovery Mode" was the only 
option to setup new drive. It worked nicely. But we may not have in the 
future.