can you define “machine”? if it’s a desktop: have you thought about an additional hdd/ssd? all the pros of dual booting, without the cons: you can simply unplug the windows drive if you install linux.

but still do a backup!

First of all: Do they want to make real live friends? having only internet friends doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

they have tried to socialize in a fishbowl event but they weren’t able to get a friend there as I feel it.

you don’t get a friends from a single event. give it more time. much more time. some other comment mention hobbies or groups, and i think this is the key: you don’t go to those events because you want to make friend, but because of you interest and you make friends by accident. Don’t pressure it!

thanks for the insight, much appreciated!

thanks for your answer. that’s what i feared, but its good to be sure!

thanks for your comment and recommendation.

hm. i did not think about serious illnesses when writing my comment. maybe we can specify this as a “not running system”, but i can understand that my first snarky comment could be perceived as rude when you have problems with your body. i fear i walked right in the privileged trap without realizing it?

you can not.

just think about it: 80 to 100 years uptime, no reboot, no fall back system, not even a cold spare. and you want to change something while its running? madness! maybe if you are very lucky you may be able to replace some of the internal components… but not to upgrade, only if your on the risk to loose the whole system…

90 millions years of evolution, or you: who knows better?

It looks funny on pictures, but i bet everything would go south if you would straighten it out or reorganize it.

If you don’t know the intend why it looks as it currently looks i would not touch it. even if you know why it looks like that and you can somehow compensate those effects, i would not do this on my own body for the first time…

Never change a running system. Even small changes may have unexpected consequences, if the machine is as complex as our bodies…