Why would I use this over Helix? (this is not a rethorical question, I really am interested in the benefits)

The ssh key to access the private git repo is on the same yubikey as the decryption key (they are technically different GPG slots but I don't need to care about that, just plug the key in, type in the pin, and it all works automagically)

The process then still is: check out that Git repository, except there’s another step: copy over your private key so that you can decrypt your secrets.

I store my secrets in a separate private git repo and automatically decrypt them with my hardware key (https://github.com/balsoft/nixos-config/blob/master/modules/secrets.nix) so for me it's literally just plug in my yubikey and nixos-install github:balsoft/nixos-config#hostname

Nah, it's colonial settlers living in a place where they shouldn't, and then capitalists plastering everything with heat-absorbing asphalt because it's more profitable to force people into car-centric hellholes. If you are unfortunate enough to live in a place like that, prepare a backup power source, because it's not feasible to build a power grid which never has blackouts.

Of course, it would be nice to have a government that would provide everyone in such regions with backup electricity sources, but that ain't happening with capitalists in power, and recommending that grandma should lead a communist uprising is not that helpful

My point is that way more humans can survive a couple weeks without AC than a couple weeks without water or food.

The human species has lived through an era when the average temperature on Earth was about the same as it is now. It's true that (very) soon it won't be the case (it looks like the climate is truly fucked and we'll get the hottest year since humans evolved in a decade or so, and then shoot right past that and into real hell on earth territory).

People settled there because A/C became available

Yeah, but like, don't. Or at least cover your house with solar. If you need a literal life support system and are dependent on a centralized power grid for that with no backup, you will die.

You can’t just shut off the A/C and cackle while the elderly and infirm die of heat stroke.

I agree that in places like that AC should be among the critical systems which are the last to shut down, but it's also important to note that the vast majority of inhabited places on earth are not like that (yet).

Yeah, I also wanted to mention that AC in critical workplaces, schools and kindergartens should also be given priority over residential AC, but the comment was already too long.

And with no real reason

The real reason is planned obsolescence. Your old GPU working is bad for NVidia because it means you're not buying a new one from them.

If the problem with the device is only those clearly damaged components, I think you can give it a shot. If there's something else wrong (which caused that resistor to slightly explode in the first place), it would at least be beyond my paygrade, I wouldn't recommend spending time trying to fix it if you're a complete novice. If my guess is correct, the problem is indeed the overheated resistor and the blown thermal fuse and it should be possible to fix-ish.

Yellow box is definitely a capacitor (a radial film 0.1 μF 275VAC X2 class capacitor to be specific - typically used for EMI suppression). It's possible that the board will work without it (as seems it's only used for filtering/interference suppression) but I would replace it. If you do replace it, definitely spring for an X2 class as well, don't cheap out or you can end up with a spicy explosion. You will need the same capacitance (0.1 μF / microfarad) and the same or greater voltage (at least 275 VAC / Volts on Alternating Current). Maybe even get the same one - https://www.ebay.com/itm/405324404548 although $10 for just two capacitors is insanely expensive. Here are some more which should work: https://eu.mouser.com/c/passive-components/capacitors/safety-capacitors/?capacitance=0.1+uF&safety+rating=X2&voltage+rating+ac=275+VAC (just make sure to get the Lead Spacing right - I'd guess yours is 10 mm, but better to measure out).

The device below that blown resistor is likely a thermal fuse, designed to prevent exactly the situation that happened (that means two things - this exact event has probably happened during manufacturer testing, and your thermal fuse is not up to spec). I would try replacing it with a thermal fuse that's at least 240VAC rated voltage, something like 10 A rated current, and something like 150°C trip temperature.

It's a bit hard to identify the exact value of the resistor because it has discolored so much. It's especially annoying since the third band kinda has the biggest effect on the value (it's the exponent) and that's gone completely. I would try desoldering it, measuring it with a multimeter (on Ω/Ohm setting) and see what value comes out, then get a 2W or 3W resistor of a larger value and see what happens. This is the most risky part of the whole ordeal, if you get it too high the thing will probably not work, if you get it too low it might explode again. Probably would stay away when plugging it in for the first time :)

This quarrel is the usual political theater intended to distract from all the awful shit happening in the background (dismantling the remains of the welfare state and safety nets, impending environmental & climate disasters, and the ol' favorite - insane wealth redistribution upwards).

However this time, with an actual fascist in power, all the prop guns on stage are actually real and I wouldn't be surprised if Elon is deported or even "found dead". He fucked around and got a fascist elected, I hope he finds out. Either way, this is not something to pay any attention to.

How is nouveau doing for those older cards these days? Are they at least still usable as a display adapter?