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The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

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Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#901

Post by ants_a »

skocznymroczny wrote: post #887
strix_varius wrote: post #323

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it hilarious that we spend multiple thousands of dollars on sleek, elegant hardware and then hook up chunky plastic dongles to overcome their bad hardware interfaces. So I love the idea of these ports (agreed, they're basically "recessed dongles"). I couldn't lose them / forget them. They wouldn't take up space in my bag while I'm traveling. I could "set and forget" them to perfectly match whatever desktop / d…

Well, not everyone wants to carry a brick. Sure, Thinkpads are great because they have each port ever invented, but I still prefer a thin laptop (if you have USB-A or Ethernet ports you can't have a thin laptop) with the option of using a dongle once a month if I need it.

There are plenty of thin laptops with USB-A ports. Thinkpad X1 is both thinner than a macbook and has two USB-A ports. And there are laptops just 2mm thicker than a Macbook Air that have ethernet via some clever mechanical engineering.

Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#902

Post by ricardobeat »

2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #645
ricardobeat wrote: post #513

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't look like a no-brainer to me (already a Mac user). The MBP has a better screen, better battery life, performance, has a metal body, is completely silent and has nicer software. That said, you should get the Air instead which is $999 with almost exactly the same specs, minus the annoying touch bar, and a tad lighter at 1.29kg.

> performance https://wccftech.com/intel-and-amd-x86-mobility-cpus-destroy...

The fact an i7 scores the same as M1 in those benchmarks already tells you they are not very representative of reality. Plus power consumption will be massively different between them which is crucial for a laptop.

Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#903

Post by theschmed »

tgsovlerkhgsel wrote: post #700
ericpauley wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I need some convincing here. How is the "modular port" concept any different than a universal port with dongles (i.e., how Macs have been since 2016). To me the fact that the port attachments are recessed is little more than a gimmick. Especially as all of my devices have transitioned to USB-C anyway, dongles/"modular ports" feel more like a stopgap measure than one requiring a permanent form factor change.

What upsets me about the solution is that the whole laptop is limited to 4 ports. They don't even offer the obvious "2 in 1" dongles where one dongle would contain e.g. two USB-A ports. Many other laptops aren't modular - but they offer more than enough ports to make up for it. You need at least 1 USB-C port for charging. If you want to be able to use an external mouse and keyboard without a hub, that's 2 USB-A ports…

I don't agree with most of your points, but I do (at least on initial review) agree with this:

> They don't even offer the obvious "2 in 1" dongles where one dongle would contain e.g. two USB-A ports.

I would have thought that by making the expansion ports slightly wider, including 2 USB-A would be possible.

At my side gig running livestreams, I often end up with more than 4 USB-A devices connected, unfortunately, so with USB-C charging and HDMI, I'd need a dongle to use this device even with such a 2x USB-A expansion.

- USB-A dongle for wireless mouse

- External USB-A sound card (to connect the mixer board)

- External USB-A camera

- External USB-A flash drive to load up PowerPoints etc provided by the presenter

- ... and then maybe I need to plug in my USB-A Yubikey to authenticate. Or a 2nd flash drive.

That said, using a USB-C hub/dongle for cases like mine isn't the end of the world.

Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#904

Post by rcthompson »

ashtonkem wrote: post #609
rcthompson wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even when I'm home 90% of the time during COVID, I use my laptop in lots of places: my desk, my bed, my dining table, my kitchen counter, my couch. I can't drag my desktop setup all around my apartment like that.

I don’t use my laptop in any of those places because my desktop setup isn’t there . Laptop keyboards are awful to type on, why put yourself through that? I’d rather get my work done at the desk and then enjoy my hammock or couch without the computer, preferably with a good book.

If I'm using it in the kitchen, it's probably to read a recipe or watch a video, neither of which is a keyboard-intensive task.

Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#905

Post by esjeon »

brightball wrote: post #166

> I really miss my Thinkpad Trackpoint This is one of those comments I will never understand. Every single time I have tried to use one of those things the only thought that goes through my mind is, "This is the dumbest mouse interface I have ever seen. Why would anyone ever use this thing?" And then I see comments like this. I don't get it. The ergonomics of those little nubs are awful .

Welp, I used to play Tremulous[1] with it on my ThinkPad X61, slaying people with granger(= builder) on "X" server. I often spammed the chat when I get a fancy kill (something like "you got killed by a trackpoint lul", with color). I wonder if anyone remembers it. Hahaha

Trackpoint is like a joystick, very short but sensitive and accurate. The best experience was with a SoftRim cap, which significantly reduced the force required to register.

Even better, using VIM and tiling WM completely eliminates any reason for my hands to leave the resting position on the keyboard. This was simply fantastic, and that's why I still have my X61 around.

[1]: https://tremulous.net/

Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#906

Post by MadeThisToReply »

pc86 wrote: post #200
2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #9

I wish that I needed a laptop so that I could buy one. I sincerely hope this company succeeds so that they are around when I do need a laptop. > Yesterday, I put my 2019 Thinkpad on my pile of "laptops to refurbish and donate." I've bought a new Thinkpad almost every year since 2006. I think that's over. wat

It's addressed in the article and elsewhere in these comments, several times. They donate them after a year in order to upgrade. Seems a perfectly reasonable and responsible use case if you want a new laptop every year.

Why the hell would you want a new laptop every year? Doesn't seem very "reasonable and responsible" to me.

Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#907

Post by Pet_Ant »

biztos wrote: post #515
strix_varius wrote: post #323

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find it hilarious that we spend multiple thousands of dollars on sleek, elegant hardware and then hook up chunky plastic dongles to overcome their bad hardware interfaces. So I love the idea of these ports (agreed, they're basically "recessed dongles"). I couldn't lose them / forget them. They wouldn't take up space in my bag while I'm traveling. I could "set and forget" them to perfectly match whatever desktop / d…

The crazy thing here is that it’s not so hard to hit the standard set of “pro” ports — USB-C x 4 (new standard blabla) USB-A x 2 SD x 1 HDMI x 1 Phone/Mic I applaud the modular approach but Apple’s donglevision was the pure distillation of user-hostility between the Bean-Counter in Chief and the SVP, Thin Stuff. And all the industrial sheep who followed them. May we all recover…

...and ethernet.

Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#908

Post by andersonvom »

mikenew wrote: post #346
ericpauley wrote: post #253

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I need some convincing here. How is the "modular port" concept any different than a universal port with dongles (i.e., how Macs have been since 2016). To me the fact that the port attachments are recessed is little more than a gimmick. Especially as all of my devices have transitioned to USB-C anyway, dongles/"modular ports" feel more like a stopgap measure than one requiring a permanent form factor change.

I wouldn't think of them as recessed dongles. After installing them I haven't changed them out at all so far. It's more that you can configure things how you want. If you wanted 4 usb-c ports and that's all; just do that. I would love it if all my devices had transition to usb-c, but they haven't. I still occasionally need usb-a and sometimes I need an hdmi out. So... that's what I have. And if I stop needing usb-a I…

It also goes a little bit beyond that: if one of your ports stops working (e.g. rust, water damage, etc), you can just buy a replacement port and you're back on track, as opposed to "welp, I guess I'll have to do without it..."

Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#909

Post by efficax »

pmlnr wrote: post #314

There's also the MNT Reform in cooking: https://www.crowdsupply.com/mnt/reform Regarding ports on the Framework: is there really no ethernet option? And no full side SD card, just micro?

for ethernet you'll want to get a usb-c dongle right now, sadly. But the expansion cards look like they could support an ethernet NIC. It just has to be made. If framework is successful, I expect we'll see more expansion cards.

Re: The Framework is the most exciting laptop I've used

#910

Post by znpy »

esjeon wrote: post #905
brightball wrote: post #166

> I really miss my Thinkpad Trackpoint This is one of those comments I will never understand. Every single time I have tried to use one of those things the only thought that goes through my mind is, "This is the dumbest mouse interface I have ever seen. Why would anyone ever use this thing?" And then I see comments like this. I don't get it. The ergonomics of those little nubs are awful .

Welp, I used to play Tremulous[1] with it on my ThinkPad X61, slaying people with granger(= builder) on "X" server. I often spammed the chat when I get a fancy kill (something like "you got killed by a trackpoint lul", with color). I wonder if anyone remembers it. Hahaha Trackpoint is like a joystick, very short but sensitive and accurate. The best experience was with a SoftRim cap, which significantly reduced the fo…

Kudos for playing trem, I used to love that game as a teenager.
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