5 ms·

The endless uses for an always-on Mac

61 points by Amorymeltzer 3y ago

eviks 3y ago
Do the endless uses include hardware transcoding of videos that is common with NASes?
- Veen 3y ago
  Maybe; he's using it as a Plex server.
hamandcheese 3y ago
I've been using Macs for my entire adult life. My always-on linux server is my little piece of sanctuary.
- makz 3y ago
  Same
droopyEyelids 3y ago
The article is about the benefits of running a home server, but the author is more familiar with macos than other OSes.
- opan 3y ago
  A perfect summary.
Maursault 3y ago
How could OP fail to mention media server? > Running a web server to serve that page and a few other random pages. Dull. Not just any web server, with Apache 2.4 already installed by default, once httpd.conf is configured, in particular for directory listings and with softlinks to directories with proper permissions, and once the server is started, macOS serves media, i.e. pictures, music and video files that's just sitting in folders on the filesystem, no web development necessary. I never understood the need for dedicated media server software when Apache2 (Web Sharing) has done it so effortlessly since Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah; it has always just been there.
- evad3r 3y ago
  They did, they mentioned Plex.
  - Maursault 3y ago
    Thanks, missed that, but it drives my point home: with Apache2 behind Web Sharing, Plex, and all software that claims to be a media server, is entirely superfluous and just adds unnecessary work for the user.
    - lethologica 3y ago
      It took me a maximum of 5 minutes to download, install, and set up Plex and use it as my home media server. It would take me hours to figure out how to do all that with Apache.
      - Maursault 3y ago
        > It took me a maximum of 5 minutes to download, install, and set up Plex and use it as my home media server. This is an obvious exaggeration. It would longer just to consolidate media into Plex libraries. > It would take me hours to figure out how to do all that with Apache. Wow. Here's a clue sudo cp /etc/apache2/httpd.conf /etc/apache2/https.conf.bak sudo vi /etc/apache2/httpd.conf # hint: learn apache once, use many times sudo ln -s /Directories/you/want/apache/to/see /Library/WebServer/Documents/ sudo apachectl start Took me less than 10 minutes.
        lethologica 3y ago
        What on Earth are you talking about? There are two folders for “libraries” a TV folder and a Movies folder. I save media into the corresponding folders, point Plex to the folders and Plex takes care of the rest. It’s a ten second process. Thanks for the script. I have no interest in learning how it works, though, I just want to watch a darn movie…
tarasglek 3y ago
I am seriously considering switching some workloads from amd/linux to mac mini and osx at least until there is a better platform for cost-efficient ml inference for whisper and other large ml models where common cpu/gpu ram is cheap and convenient. Amd should've had this market sealed with their integrated graphics platforms, maybe they will still get there with the new crosscompilers to Vulcan. Don't need massive perf just 2x faster than cpu and better energy efficiency.
- smoldesu 3y ago
  Currently the only option for cost-efficient ML inference is Linux. MacOS doesn't have CUDA drivers, which makes it pretty much useless for production. The Pytorch support on M1 is nice, but there's a reason VPS providers aren't throwing away their A100s for an M1 Ultra any time soon. The inferencing performance is different by an order of magnitude on the latest chips, and still a sizable lead when adjusting for power consumption. Not sure why you'd switch to an OS with weaker driver support to try and eke out better ML performance.
PinkMilkshake 3y ago
Is there a specific reason why Mac is particularly good for this? One possible reason. I remember talking to a tech who worked for a company that made information kiosks. The kiosks ran Windows, but on a Mac Mini. He told me the reason was they had less hardware failures when they used them.
- zorr 3y ago
  One of the things I'm thinking about recently is putting a Mac mini on my desk for occasional iOS development on multiplatform projects (main laptop is Linux) and keep it always running as a CI runner for those projects.
- wkdneidbwf 3y ago
  not really, he’s extolling the virtues of a home server—the author is just most comfortable with a mac. this would be a nearly identical blog if it were linux or windows.
opan 3y ago
It's disappointing that the author thinks a NAS is some off-the-shelf appliance of sorts. Your old desktop with a few big HDDs in it can be a NAS. It's more about the role.
- diffeomorphism 3y ago
  That is just how the word is commonly used. Just like people associate "server" with a specific hardware form factor and not an android phone running apache. For many people "a NAS" refers to a dedicated hardware device with a specific look and which provides network storage services.
thefz 3y ago
Wow, a file and Plex server. The innovation.

61 points by Amorymeltzer 3y ago

eviks 3y ago

Do the endless uses include hardware transcoding of videos that is common with NASes?

Veen 3y ago
Maybe; he's using it as a Plex server.

hamandcheese 3y ago

I've been using Macs for my entire adult life. My always-on linux server is my little piece of sanctuary.

makz 3y ago
Same

droopyEyelids 3y ago

The article is about the benefits of running a home server, but the author is more familiar with macos than other OSes.

opan 3y ago
A perfect summary.

Maursault 3y ago

How could OP fail to mention media server? > Running a web server to serve that page and a few other random pages. Dull. Not just any web server, with Apache 2.4 already installed by default, once httpd.conf is configured, in particular for directory listings and with softlinks to directories with proper permissions, and once the server is started, macOS serves media, i.e. pictures, music and video files that's just sitting in folders on the filesystem, no web development necessary. I never understood the need for dedicated media server software when Apache2 (Web Sharing) has done it so effortlessly since Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah; it has always just been there.

evad3r 3y ago
They did, they mentioned Plex.
- Maursault 3y ago
  Thanks, missed that, but it drives my point home: with Apache2 behind Web Sharing, Plex, and all software that claims to be a media server, is entirely superfluous and just adds unnecessary work for the user.
  - lethologica 3y ago
    It took me a maximum of 5 minutes to download, install, and set up Plex and use it as my home media server. It would take me hours to figure out how to do all that with Apache.
    - Maursault 3y ago
      > It took me a maximum of 5 minutes to download, install, and set up Plex and use it as my home media server. This is an obvious exaggeration. It would longer just to consolidate media into Plex libraries. > It would take me hours to figure out how to do all that with Apache. Wow. Here's a clue sudo cp /etc/apache2/httpd.conf /etc/apache2/https.conf.bak sudo vi /etc/apache2/httpd.conf # hint: learn apache once, use many times sudo ln -s /Directories/you/want/apache/to/see /Library/WebServer/Documents/ sudo apachectl start Took me less than 10 minutes.
      - lethologica 3y ago
        What on Earth are you talking about? There are two folders for “libraries” a TV folder and a Movies folder. I save media into the corresponding folders, point Plex to the folders and Plex takes care of the rest. It’s a ten second process. Thanks for the script. I have no interest in learning how it works, though, I just want to watch a darn movie…

tarasglek 3y ago

I am seriously considering switching some workloads from amd/linux to mac mini and osx at least until there is a better platform for cost-efficient ml inference for whisper and other large ml models where common cpu/gpu ram is cheap and convenient. Amd should've had this market sealed with their integrated graphics platforms, maybe they will still get there with the new crosscompilers to Vulcan. Don't need massive perf just 2x faster than cpu and better energy efficiency.

smoldesu 3y ago
Currently the only option for cost-efficient ML inference is Linux. MacOS doesn't have CUDA drivers, which makes it pretty much useless for production. The Pytorch support on M1 is nice, but there's a reason VPS providers aren't throwing away their A100s for an M1 Ultra any time soon. The inferencing performance is different by an order of magnitude on the latest chips, and still a sizable lead when adjusting for power consumption. Not sure why you'd switch to an OS with weaker driver support to try and eke out better ML performance.

PinkMilkshake 3y ago

Is there a specific reason why Mac is particularly good for this? One possible reason. I remember talking to a tech who worked for a company that made information kiosks. The kiosks ran Windows, but on a Mac Mini. He told me the reason was they had less hardware failures when they used them.

zorr 3y ago
One of the things I'm thinking about recently is putting a Mac mini on my desk for occasional iOS development on multiplatform projects (main laptop is Linux) and keep it always running as a CI runner for those projects.
wkdneidbwf 3y ago
not really, he’s extolling the virtues of a home server—the author is just most comfortable with a mac. this would be a nearly identical blog if it were linux or windows.

opan 3y ago

It's disappointing that the author thinks a NAS is some off-the-shelf appliance of sorts. Your old desktop with a few big HDDs in it can be a NAS. It's more about the role.

diffeomorphism 3y ago
That is just how the word is commonly used. Just like people associate "server" with a specific hardware form factor and not an android phone running apache. For many people "a NAS" refers to a dedicated hardware device with a specific look and which provides network storage services.

thefz 3y ago

Wow, a file and Plex server. The innovation.