
You can build a laptop out of open source components if you want a bad laptop - Tomte
http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/2/3/14501812/olimex-teres-i-open-source-diy-laptop
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new299
Title is basically click bait, and reasonably insulting. The laptop is "bad"
by some metrics (build quality/speed) and better by others (open
hardware/software/hackability).

~~~
jlgaddis
After reading the title -- before even looking at the domain the link pointed
to -- I knew this had to be an article on The Verge.

I'm not sure what's going on over there but it seems that maybe they're A/B
testing with these insulting headlines or something.

I thought this recent headline in particular was quite insulting: "Wine 2.0 is
out, ready to disappoint you once again" [0]

 _edit:_ Just noticed both articles are by the same author.

[0]:
[http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/1/26/14402028/wi...](http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/1/26/14402028/wine-2-0-update-
windows-apps-linux-mac-not-an-emulator)

~~~
user5994461
The headlines are not insulting, you're taking discussion about open-source
too personally.

~~~
shakna
> ... want a bad laptop

> ... disappoint you...

These are headlines that have a definite negative slant.

They aren't something to foster discussion, but something that tugs on the
emotions of the reader.

That's a sure fire tactic for pissing people off.

~~~
coldtea
> _These are headlines that have a definite negative slant._

But also definite true one. Wine has always been short of the promise it made
(except for specific, select, apps), and the laptop is bad on any metric that
matters except the "I can update it to make it have a less bad processor when
that becomes available for it".

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brudgers
To me, the biggest impediment to the open laptop is people have been
conditioned to complain about size and weight beyond the point where it is
likely to matter for their use case. Sure there are use cases where the
difference in mass and bulk between a Thinkpad X1 and something the size of a
Thinkpad P effect utility. Much of the time they don't.

Laptops have evolved a lot since my first laptop...a used ex corporate
travelling salesman's Toshiba Satellite with a 386SX. At about seven pounds
and two inches thick, it was still somewhat svelte by current laptop standards
when I obtained in 1997. In 2001 when I purchased my first laptop, a $1000
would get you about the same...and that was the cheapest laptop you could buy
and only if it was on sale. For another grand and a half or two you could
knock about a pound and a half off the weight...yes three grand for a four and
a half pound laptop. Laptops have evolved quite a bit since then.

But humans and the physical environment have not. Sure, side by side, it's
easy to experience the phyiscal differences between a six pound box of
electronics and a three pound box of electronics and to imagine how much
happier the smaller box will make you. And that's most of the reason for
smaller and lighter laptops, someone standing in the store imagining how much
happier they'll be and opening their wallet a little wider.

~~~
cguess
You don't spend a lot of time traveling do you? I upgraded my Macbook about a
year ago, and shaving off those 1.5 or 2 pounds saved my back so much. When
you're moving cities every few days, walking through massive airports and
hiking windy side streets to find the hotel your colleague booked that was
"right on the main drag" but is actually 200m up the hill you learn to really
love even that little extra weight being gone.

The extra space in a bag when you're completely carry on is a huge benefit as
well since everything fits under the seat in front of you a bit easier, so you
can board faster and sit down quicker.

~~~
brudgers
Most people don't spend a lot of time traveling. Some people do. There are
different use cases. I spend a fair amount of time processing images. My
laptop has 1.7 teraflops and 4GB of Quadro GPU. It's also not a typical use
case. That's the difference between a ThinkPad X1 and a Thinkpad P.

As I mentioned, in the early 1990's the magically light laptop for Simpsoning
through airports was 6+ pounds and 2" thick. What's changed besides raw
compute is expectations not physiology.

~~~
cguess
I'll say that a lot more people spend time with their laptops on their
shoulders (every person in NYC, SF, London, Hong Kong, Chicago, Paris, etc.)
than use their laptop for large render projects. A Macbook Air can handle even
large still photos without breaking a sweat (I've done 1GB photoshop files
while playing Spotify no problem). If you're doing 4K video it's another
story.

------
photologbook
Second hand Laptops and notepads cheap now anyway, £60 or less for second hand
notepad and around £100 maybe less for Laptop

~~~
chriswarbo
How does that have any relation to being open source? I'm currently using a
second-hand laptop, but I specifically paid _more_ for it because it is
"Respects Your Freedom" certified (from
[https://minifree.org](https://minifree.org) )

~~~
LukeShu
While I certainly don't want to take business away from Minifree: If you are
up for refurbishing the laptop yourself, you can substantially beat Minifree's
prices. Especially for older models (that Minifree no longer sells) like the
X60 that are easy to install Libreboot on compared to newer models that
require a separate SPI programmer.

Also, FWIW, Minifree no longer seeks the RYF certification nor advertises it
on existing products. I don't expect them to respect your freedom any less,
but because of the FSF/Libreboot conflict they no longer seek the cert.

~~~
chriswarbo
Yeah, I got this machine before the current drama; in fact it's an X60, which
I bought as soon as it was announced (when minifree was "gluglug"); mostly to
avoid installing libreboot myself, since I don't trust myself not to brick
things :P

