Hands-on writing about local AI models, the software built on them, and the machines you run it all on.

A laptop screen showing a code editor with visible programming code in a dimly lit environment.

Stop Paying for Copilot: Run Code-Llama Locally in VS Code

Ditch the subscription. A quantized Code-Llama model running locally rivals Copilot for completions—no keystrokes sent to a server. Here's the full setup w

Dark, close-up image of a backlit mechanical keyboard with glowing keys.

Peripherals & Gadgets

Mechanical Keyboard Switch Break-In: Does It Actually Change the Feel?

The science and ritual of wearing in mechanical switches. Smoothing, spring ping, and whether your fingers are just getting used to the scratch.

Colin B 2026-08-26

Illustration depicting classical binary bit and quantum qubit states in superposition and binary.

AI & Local Models

Llama 3.1 8B Quant Shootout: 4‑bit to 6‑bit on RTX 3060

On an RTX 3060, Q5_K_M runs Llama 3.1 8B nearly as fast as 4-bit with better output. See the numbers for Q4, Q5, Q6.

Dev N 2026-08-23

Abstract glass surfaces reflecting digital text create a mysterious tech ambiance.

AI & Local Models

Local PDF Q&A Without Hallucinations: Ollama + LangChain

Build a local document Q&A system that doesn't lie. Exact chunking strategies, retrieval setup, and prompt constraints to stop LLM fabrications cold.

Marcus W 2026-08-19

Two women enjoying VR technology indoors, combining traditional attire with modern virtual experiences.

AI & Local Models

Local Speech-to-Text with Whisper: Faster-Whisper vs whisper.cpp for Dictation and Subtitles

Compare Faster-Whisper vs whisper.cpp for local speech-to-text. Dictation vs subtitles: setup, speed, hardware trade-offs — all offline, private.

Priya R 2026-08-16

A pile of electronic components sitting on top of each other

Self-Hosting

Stop Running AI on Your Laptop: Build a $24 Cloud Inference Server

A sleeping laptop kills your model. Run Ollama on a cheap DigitalOcean droplet for always-on inference—$200 free credit with referral link.

Tessa M 2026-08-15

From above of desktop with multi monitors and keyboard with remove keycaps for cleaning

AI & Local Models

Running Open-Source LLMs on a $300 Mini PC: Intel N100 vs. Ryzen 5 with Ollama

Intel N100 vs Ryzen 5 5500U for local LLMs on a $300 budget: token speeds, memory limits, and which mini PC keeps the conversation flowing with Ollama.

Colin B 2026-08-12

Abstract representation of large language models and AI technology.

AI & Local Models

RTX 4070 GPU Showdown: Llama 3.1 8B vs Mistral 7B vs Phi-3 Medium

Head-to-head local LLM benchmarks: Llama 3.1 8B, Mistral 7B, and Phi-3 Medium on RTX 4070 12GB. Tokens/sec, VRAM, and quantization trade-offs—see which mod

Dev N 2026-08-09

Close-up of a sleek external hard disk against a black backdrop, showcasing modern technology design.

Hardware

The SMR Drive Trap: Slow ZFS and How to Avoid It

Shingled magnetic recording drives can silently cripple ZFS pools with timeouts, faults, and multi-day resilvers. Here's how to spot and avoid them.

Marcus W 2026-08-06

A stylish woman interacts with futuristic VR technology in a vibrant setting.

Self-Hosting

Self-Host Your Bookmarks with Linkwarden: Beat Link Rot

Set up Linkwarden to self-host bookmarks with automatic page archiving. A step-by-step guide to a permanent, private archive you control on your own hardwa

Priya R 2026-08-05