John Spahr

I may no longer be a computer science major, but I'm still fascinated by electronics of all kinds. That's why I take great pleasure in writing about my "everyday carry," that being the devices that I regularly take along with me. These are often being swapped around, as I am an enthusiast at heart, but some of these have stuck around for a long time. So, here's the list: Phone: iPhone 15 Pro (128 GB) It's a very nice phone. That's about all I have to say about it. Like most people, I'm pretty apathetic toward iPhones. I prefer iOS for my needs, and it does what I need it to. 'Nuff said. Laptop: MacBook Pro 14" (2023, M3) I feel bad for my MacBook Pro. It gets tossed around in my bag, is constantly being used, and has a fair few battle scars. But it keeps on going. This laptop has gotten me through college thus far, and I'm hoping I won't have to replace it for a few more years. Watch: Apple Watch SE (the newest one) I swear that this i...

Hey, folks. I haven't written much lately, so I think an update might be in order. First and foremost, I am no longer a computer science major. I found myself really hating the theoretical stuff, and I don't love coding like I used to. The more time that passes, the more obvious it becomes that it's not the field I want to go into. I plan to pursue business instead. I can't say for sure that this is the right decision, but we'll see how it goes! In general, I'm at an interesting spot in my life. I have a few more weeks left of my freshman year at college, and I can't help but think about how different things are. Friendships and relationships have come and gone in the blink of an eye, and being a kid keeps getting further in the rearview. It's clear that everything is changing, perhaps for the better. As I sit here writing this, I guess I'm realizing that I truly have no idea what the future holds. What will I go into as a career? Will I get married,...

Hey, reader!  You may have noticed that my website has suddenly undergone some significant changes. In terms of styling, it's about the same as always, but the content is way different. For some context, this summer, I aim to start doing freelance photography. To reduce steps for potential clients, I want to make my homepage centered around this. That's not to say I'm abandoning the other projects on my site. Far from it. However, this will be my main focus for the next several months. Anyway, I hope this explains some of these changes. I'm super excited for this next chapter, and if you're nearby, you should totally hire me. ;) Until next time, John

Chromebooks have always been an interesting product category for me. Similar to cars, I'm interested in things that compromise features to make themselves more accessible to the masses. I love economy cars, and I love economy computers.  Being the owner of a 2023 MacBook Pro, maybe I'm a little warmer to these basic computers than I would be if I had to use one. But I do own a $300 Asus Chromebook tablet PC which I do a lot of writing on. I'm actually writing this post on it. So, when a lot of Dell Chromebook 3100s came up on eBay, I splurged. What I got was 4 C-grade Chromebooks that were totally functional. I immediately got to work. Many say that you cannot use alternative OSs on Chromebooks, at least not natively. And they're kind of right. Depending on your model and chip architecture, alternative firmware may not be available. Further, many operating systems do not have all the necessary drivers available for Chromebooks. Take Windows 10 for example. It does not s...

Hey folks! I wrote a short story last weekend that I just needed to share with all of you. I'm so sorry in advance. Enjoy! Everybody Hates Herbert  A short story John Spahr

Hi, folks! I have a (really) quick post for you today. I just got a Canon EOS 50D as a backup for my Rebel T7, and I'm highly impressed. Despite being pretty old, this DSLR pumps out some incredible pictures. Some cameras are timeless, and many of these old Canon digitals are shining examples of this. Eventually, I may cover the 50D in more detail. But for now, here are some of my favorite photos that I've taken with it. Enjoy!