Michael Staake – Michael Staake

Shopify vs WooCommerce – What’s the Best E-Commerce Solution?

December 11, 2025

There are a hundred ways you can start selling online or taking orders, but my two favorite ones are Shopify and WooCommerce. While they’re both e-commerce platforms, and they’re both awesome in their own way, there are some key differences that you should be aware of. In this article, I’m going to give a brief summary of each solution, the fundamental difference between the two, as well as cover some of the features, benefits, and drawbacks.

Windows on ARM in (Almost) 2026… Awesome or Awful?

November 29, 2025

As much as I dislike Apple, I have to admit that Apple Silicon changed the world, for the better. Even M1 was truly impressive for its insane efficiency, and now we’re already at M5. Microsoft and Qualcomm have bet big on their own ARM-based personal computers. Let’s discuss if that is awesome, or awful.

Why GM Discontinuing BrightDrop was a Huge Mistake

November 29, 2025

When General Motors announced in late 2024 that it was shutting down the BrightDrop division, scattering the team, and letting their electric van program die on the vine, most observers called it a “portfolio simplification.” It wasn’t. It was one of the most self-sabotaging moves an American automaker has made in the EV era.

A $35 Used Laptop in 2025

November 25, 2025

In 2025, a $35 second-hand laptop might sound like e-waste, but for many people it’s still surprisingly useful. Whether it’s retirees on a fixed income browsing the web and reading the news, field techs needing a cheap laptop for on-site work, or anyone looking for a ‘beater’ machine, an old, inexpensive computer often fits the bill perfectly.

How to set up your own AI server using Ubuntu, Docker, Ollama, and Open WebUI

October 13, 2025

ChatGPT and Grok are super cool, but what if you want to run your AI stuff in your home, on your equipment, with full control over the privacy and security of your information? Well, it’s totally doable, completely free (assuming you already have the hardware or are willing to invest in a powerful enough system), and even kinda fun!

How to fix “Error of this Agent is reported first” on Lenovo ThinkStation with dual GPUs running Ubuntu Server

September 27, 2025

I recently set up an AI server in my home, based on a Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tower Gen 2 (Intel). It worked fine with a single GPU, but upon adding the second GPU, I was getting a bunch of “Error of this Agent is reported first” errors spammed across the screen. They’d show up upon bootup, and then anytime I ran an AI workload that used the GPUs. Here’s how to easily resolve this issue by disabling ASPM.

Proxmox on a Laptop: Turning off the Screen

September 27, 2025

While you’d probably never use a laptop as a server in a production environment, for a homelab, laptops actually make great Proxmox hosts. They use little power, and the battery is basically a built in UPS. However, an issue you may run into is that the laptop’s display is always on. This is typically undesirable. In this article, I’m going to show you how to easily put the screen to sleep on your Proxmox host.

WWW or Non-WWW: Why Consistency is Key

September 18, 2025

In the ever-evolving world of web design, small decisions can have outsized impacts. One such decision? Whether your website’s URL starts with “www” or goes straight to the domain name, like example.com. It’s a choice that seems trivial at first glance, but getting it wrong—or worse, being inconsistent—can trip up search engines, confuse users, and even hurt your site’s performance. In this post, we’ll break down why you need to pick one version and stick to it, the benefits of proper redirects, and when (if ever) to sprinkle in that “www” for marketing flair.

WordPress.org vs WordPress.com – One Name, Two Very Different Things

September 6, 2025

WordPress.org and WordPress.com are two distinct platforms that often confuse due to their shared branding but different functionalities, hosting models, and use cases.

Website Performance Matters

September 6, 2025

In today’s fast-paced digital world, your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. But what if that impression is marred by slow loading times? Website performance isn’t just a technical detail—it’s a critical factor that influences user experience (UX), conversion rates, and search engine optimization (SEO). In this article, we’ll dive into why speed matters, backed by key statistics, and explore practical ways to optimize your site. We’ll also break down the request lifecycle and highlight free tools for testing performance.