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Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

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Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#151

Post by zahlman »

linguae wrote: post #66
jedbrooke wrote: post #43

> Consumer electronics naming is very simple. Make a good product with a simple name. “iPhone”, “comma”, “Z Fold”. Then every year or two, add one to the number of that product. If it’s a small refresh, you can add a letter after the number. “2 3 3X 4” “4 4s 5 5s 6 …” “2 3 4 5 6 7” Why is this so hard for companies like HP? Oh man I feel this every time there’s a games console launch. I still have no idea what the la…

On the flipside, there were the days of the Power Macintosh 6100, 7500, 8500, 9600, and other models. It’s very easy to look up different models using these names, and there was also logic to the naming scheme, but it was confusing for people new to Macs to figure out, and this was back in the 1990s when there were still large amounts of people in the developed world who never owned a personal computer. Once Steve Jo…

> On the flipside, there were the days of the Power Macintosh 6100, 7500, 8500, 9600, and other models. It’s very easy to look up different models using these names, and there was also logic to the naming scheme, but it was confusing for people new to Macs to figure out, and this was back in the 1990s when there were still large amounts of people in the developed world who never owned a personal computer.

Nokia model numbers (and "series" numbers, too) in the 00s were far worse.

Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#152

Post by systemtest »

rienbdj wrote: post #139
systemtest wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seeing the latest Valve Steam Machine made me disappointed. No replaceable GPU, soldered memory, no socketed CPU. I really hope Valve isn't going to lead the way for unrepairable gaming PCs.

I think valve want other companies to make the hardware in the long term. They are just trying to prove / jump start demand

Yes, and I am afraid that gaming PCs will move from the fully modular repairable computers we have today to small little boxes where you can only upgrade the SSD.

Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#153

Post by wiseowise »

svrtknst wrote: post #137
wjnc wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To defend OP somewhat: his throw out should be someone else’s pre-owned and then we are square. Not in defense: This is a customer who sees itself as an ultra pro user that only wants the best on all dimensions regardless of economics. Nice that there are about a few hundred of these customers in the world. This is a market that doesn’t exist and frankly, give this customer their wish and they only have other or more…

not only does OP imagine a powerful customer base, theyre all aligned enough that one configuration fits all. im doubtful

It literally works this way already, it’s called MacBook.

Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#154

Post by wiseowise »

qwertytyyuu wrote: post #114
forty wrote: post #90

I think the kind of laptop this person wishes should simply be made illegal to make. We cannot sustain having all electric devices being thrown after a year or two, these things need to last, to be repairable and make it easy to grab pieces and materials when they die anyway

Heck most people won’t be upgrading every few years, the m1 Macs are still plenty good today, it sounds like this guy just wants a MacBook Pro that runs highly tuned Unix based OS that is not macOS

Did you even read it?

He says so in the first paragraph:

> My dream laptop is simple, a MacBook with Linux, supported by a company that is user aligned.

Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#155

Post by wiseowise »

makeitdouble wrote: post #149
jedbrooke wrote: post #43

> Consumer electronics naming is very simple. Make a good product with a simple name. “iPhone”, “comma”, “Z Fold”. Then every year or two, add one to the number of that product. If it’s a small refresh, you can add a letter after the number. “2 3 3X 4” “4 4s 5 5s 6 …” “2 3 4 5 6 7” Why is this so hard for companies like HP? Oh man I feel this every time there’s a games console launch. I still have no idea what the la…

If I dare to ask, why do you care so much about naming ? It's something that has always bothered me in reviews as well. To me a product is primarily supposed to be used, and I also don't want to buy a new one every 6 months. For instance I like my headphones very much, been using them for 4 years now. I did a ton of research and read a bunch of reviews before buying them, and to keep the exact and unique product name…

Maybe because I want to know if Xbox ASS is better than Xbox PEE without having a manual on my hands? Or what Microsoft Surface pro ai copilot means?

Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#156

Post by greenchair »

barrkel wrote: post #120
nkko wrote: post #115

The naming fails at big cos is simply caused by having internal branding teams that need to justify their existence.

No, it's more like they sell to a bunch of verticals and they have checklist-orientated market segmentation where they can eke out a little extra profit selling a specific line to a specific industry because they need a specific doodad or certification.

This has got to be part of it at least for some industries. I never understood why marketing teams would keep things so convoluted on purpose. Seemed like the exact opposite of what they should be doing.

Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#157

Post by greenchair »

bpye wrote: post #74
ntnsndr wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amen. Not only do they make hardware in the US (though not laptops yet), they contribute great Linux software.

> Not only do they make hardware in the US Many outside of the US would consider that a con today.

TDS

Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#158

Post by ThunderSizzle »

pjmlp wrote: post #83
jedbrooke wrote: post #43

> Consumer electronics naming is very simple. Make a good product with a simple name. “iPhone”, “comma”, “Z Fold”. Then every year or two, add one to the number of that product. If it’s a small refresh, you can add a letter after the number. “2 3 3X 4” “4 4s 5 5s 6 …” “2 3 4 5 6 7” Why is this so hard for companies like HP? Oh man I feel this every time there’s a games console launch. I still have no idea what the la…

What to expect, when Microsoft decides to do stupid things like renaming .NET Core into .NET 5, thus everyone that doesn't pay attention to Microsoft world keeps thinking .NET is Windows only, as the .NET Framework was always known as plain .NET in most circles.

I can't tell you how many people are confused that (1) Microsoft dropped "Core" from .NET 5+, and that .NET 4.8 and .NET 8 are not the same thing.

Microsoft jumped from .NET Core 3 to .Net (Core) 5 to avoid people conflating .NET Core 4 with .NET Framework 4.

Now tech adjacent people in my world, including people from Microsoft, think .NET Core 8 and .NET Framrwork 4.8 refer to the same version.

Luckily that problem will go away as we do our now biannual ritual of upgrading .NET versions, frustratingly.

Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#159

Post by ThatPlayer »

jedbrooke wrote: post #43

> Consumer electronics naming is very simple. Make a good product with a simple name. “iPhone”, “comma”, “Z Fold”. Then every year or two, add one to the number of that product. If it’s a small refresh, you can add a letter after the number. “2 3 3X 4” “4 4s 5 5s 6 …” “2 3 4 5 6 7” Why is this so hard for companies like HP? Oh man I feel this every time there’s a games console launch. I still have no idea what the la…

My favorite from Apple is "the new iPad" that they used to refer to the 3rd gen iPad.

Re: Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

#160

Post by andriesm »

forty wrote: post #90

I think the kind of laptop this person wishes should simply be made illegal to make. We cannot sustain having all electric devices being thrown after a year or two, these things need to last, to be repairable and make it easy to grab pieces and materials when they die anyway

I also want it. I dislike this idea "make it illegal I don't want other people to have the freedom to do something I dislike". Of you don't like unupgradable products, then don't buy them. I like upgradability - apple makes some things like the SSD non-uogradeable without much benefit. But many other parts gain different benefits when you don't try to make everything infinitely upgradable. I really want this non-enshittified macbook alternative!!!! Shut up and take my money.
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