It’s a bit mortifying to admit, particularly given my tendencies toward data hoarding and building hardware for the long haul, but I’ve historically bypassed the whole NAS concept. My methodology has been straightforward: a motherboard with sufficient SATA ports (eight or so) and a collection of HDDs crammed into a standard desktop tower. It works, technically. But I’m now hearing a lot of chatter about NAS solutions, and I’m wondering what I’m missing. What’s the compelling reason to introduce networking into this equation when I already have direct access to all my drives? What are the practical advantages of a NAS that justify the added complexity and cost?

“The early Internet’s dissociative opportunities actually encouraged me and those of my generation to change our most deeply held opinions, instead of just digging in and defending them when challenged. This ability to reinvent ourselves meant that we never had to close our minds by picking sides, or close ranks out of fear of doing irreparable harm to our reputations. Mistakes that were swiftly punished but swiftly rectified allowed both the community and the “offender” to move on. To me, and to many, this felt like freedom.” ~ Permanent Record, Snowden.

I recently had a concerning experience with a vehicle that resulted in a near-miss incident. Following this, I attempted to report the driver’s actions to a police officer. The officer’s response was unfortunately unhelpful. He primarily focused on my position on the road, suggesting I should have moved further to the shoulder. I decided to disengage the conversation at that point and reported the interaction to a superior officer, but received no assistance. I was then advised to use the ‘painted bike lane,’ despite its frequent blockage by parked cars, effectively forcing cyclists to navigate a route filled with debris and drainage issues. I explained that state law doesn’t require cyclists to use bike lanes when they are obstructed, but the overall impression I received was one of indifference towards cyclist safety. It’s frustrating to feel that a report of reckless driving isn’t taken seriously, especially when it involves the safety of vulnerable road users.