Thanks for sharing this! I’ve been experimenting with lightweight distros on SBCs myself, and seeing Deepin 15 running smoothly on a NanoPi 2 is super inspiring. Honestly, I used to think Deepin was too resource-hungry for smaller boards, but it’s come a long way — and the fact that it boots and runs fairly stable here is a great sign for those of us tinkering with budget setups.
On a more personal note, this kind of project really aligns with where I’m at in life. I’ve actually been walking the Barista FIRE path for the past year and a half after burning out hard in my corporate job. I took a pay cut and now work about 25 hours/week at a local community library — way less stressful and I finally sleep again. What made it possible was realizing I didn’t need full FIRE to feel "free" — just enough to cover my essentials and let a smaller income handle the rest.
What helped me plan was this calculator I found that’s tailored for Barista FIRE scenarios backofnapkin.co:
https://backofnapkin.co/personal-finance-calculators/barista-fire/ . You punch in your savings, future part-time income, expenses, etc., and it gives a clearer idea of what’s realistic.
For me, working on open-source stuff like this NanoPi project has become part of the joy. I still contribute a bit to savings, but honestly, mental peace is the real ROI. I'd say it's a great middle ground if you're comfortable giving up a luxury-heavy retirement in exchange for a better life now — and projects like these make it all the more rewarding.