Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing? • Hacker News Board

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#201

Post by unixhero » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:18 PM UTC

ubermonkey wrote: post #168

ramijames wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you tell me more about "curl-to-bash"? Setting up my mac can be a matter of days and I hate it.

Whoa, why? Or, more specifically, why are you not using migration from a prior Mac or from a Time Machine backup? The ease with which a Mac user can be up and running on new hardware is, to me, one of the larger advantages of the platform. I know, this being HN, that you likely have a number of FOSS tools installed; are they somehow not getting picked up properly by migration & backup? True story: we were robbed in 2…

Shit, I hope your data was encrypted

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#202

Post by fhood » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:20 PM UTC

bollockitis wrote: post #126

101km wrote: post #11

I have been using 12" MacBooks since they came out because I live out of a backpack and travel a lot. I cannot find anything comparable in terms of size/weight/battery and build quality. Especially the trackpad, nothing is remotely close. Otherwise I'd get that and put Arch on it. People complain Apple is expensive, not so sure. The TCO may actually be less because of the high resale value. It is also more convenient…

> There is no alternative. I feel trapped. This is ironic, considering that you live out of a backpack! Honestly though, there are alternatives, but that's the problem with luxuries: once we have been spoiled, human pyschology makes it difficult to accept "less." We tend to describe things we want as things we "need." It seems that many Apple power users, myself included, tend to be perfectionists when it comes to co…

I used to use macbooks exclusively, but for the last 2 years or so I have switched mostly to windows 10 because of work, and I hate it more two years later than I did when I started using it.

I am truly trapped. I will buy another macbook, I can't help myself. Even now I can feel myself justifying their flaws in order to propel myself towards the next model. There is no escape.

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#203

Post by AndrewUnmuted » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:20 PM UTC

jcelerier wrote: post #184

rayiner wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What’s the catch? If powertop is so good why isnt’t it built into distros?

> If powertop is so good why isnt’t it built into distros? well, it's usually just an `apt install` or `pacman -S` away. I don't think that distros are optimized for laptop use cases.

Some distros don't offer a laptop-optimized build explicitly. But many times this is because the optimization is performed as an automated step during the installation process.

That said, some popular distros do offer laptop modes during install. Off the top of my head, I think Ubuntu and Gentoo do.

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#204

Post by satsuma » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:21 PM UTC

ubermonkey wrote: post #170

maggit wrote: post #48

Yes, please do! I've spent some time researching this as well, and to me it seems like the author has missed one thing; the Mac touchpad hardware is so much better than other touchpad hardware. (As I understand it, the competition is barred from making similar touchpads due to patents) I have been running Linux on MacBook Pros for many years, and the touchpad is a constant source of disappointment. For the effort to…

I'm not sure it's IP that's kept Wintel makers from doing decent trackpads. I think they just didn't care until recently. I have both a 2015 13" rMBP and a 2018 Dell XPS15 on my desk. The Dell's hardware is really fantastic. Overall, it's not QUITE the equal of Cupertino, but it's easily the best Windows hardware I've seen since the glory days of the ThinkPad. The trackpad in particular, though, is just as good as th…

the xps are some damn fine machines. we give them to c-levels here and i'm always super excited to work with them and super jealous when i have to give them away.

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#205

Post by mschuster91 » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:21 PM UTC

vinay427 wrote: post #188

mschuster91 wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course it's anecdata, but it's still valid when I go through the local electronics supermarkets. Plastic everywhere, nothing comparable with a MacBook (no matter if on touchpad, keyboard or casing).

I strongly prefer the quality plastic exterior with fiberglass and carbon fiber construction of my ThinkPad. It feels far sturdier than a MacBook Pro which flexes quite a bit (yes, I've had one before), it doesn't heat up like the MacBook and warm my lap, and it's far more resistant to scratches and general wear and tear in my experience. The build quality of the MacBook hinges really throws me off as well. They're a…

> it doesn't heat up like the MacBook and warm my lap

Yeah, but then a Macbook is inaudible under normal webbrowsing load. A typical Windows machine will be audibly loud even when doing literally nothing, much less gaming or other CPU/GPU intensive tasks. Touchpad aside, I'm not going back to Windows unless I can find a laptop that is quieter than a cat meowing for food.

As for the hinges, I have the exact opposite - no matter if Asus, Clevo or Compal, it's always the hinges which break in less than a year. With Macbooks, no problem in 3 years...

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#206

Post by unixhero » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:22 PM UTC

taway0707 wrote: post #149

101km wrote: post #11

I have been using 12" MacBooks since they came out because I live out of a backpack and travel a lot. I cannot find anything comparable in terms of size/weight/battery and build quality. Especially the trackpad, nothing is remotely close. Otherwise I'd get that and put Arch on it. People complain Apple is expensive, not so sure. The TCO may actually be less because of the high resale value. It is also more convenient…

The buyer of your MacBook may be dangerous. Entering country: buy Macbook and SSD/RAM. Leaving country: remove/hammer old SSD/RAM, install new, and sell.

Or rely in Linux proper frigging LUKS drive encryption

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#207

Post by 738472527784 » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:23 PM UTC

em500 wrote: post #47

tty7 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yep, but i prefer the newer style keyboards. id also make it smaller, no palm rests - closer to a 60key keyboard size.

Like this? https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/accessories-and-monitors/keyboa...

From what I've read, those don't have the same feel as the keyboards used in the laptops and are definitely unrelated hardware. Since the keyboards are one of the "switched/repaired in < 5min parts" of (older) thinkpads, I don't get why there isn't just a case with an USB converter available. I would pay way to much for an authentic external Thinkpad keyboard. Nothing I have encountered so far feels comparable.

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#208

Post by corv » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:27 PM UTC

tzahola wrote: post #195

peterburkimsher wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I miss the old iTunes 10 interface, which I use as a database manager (I like smart playlists, playlist folders, and Genre > Artist > Album columns). AppleScript because it has so many APIs. BetterTouchTool makes heavy use of it. I taught myself how to code in it when I was 13, and I still use it now.

>AppleScript because it has so many APIs. You mean the commands you can use on apps like iTunes, Finder, Photos, etc.? Those are not AppleScript-specific per se (AFAIK there used to be an option to write Automator scripts in JS). You'd need the Linux/Gnome/KDE equivalent of the Open Scripting Architecture ( https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Ap... ) with active participation from app developers…

Yes, you can still write Automator scripts with JavaScript!

Unfortunately the documentation is AppleScript only.

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#209

Post by brandonsometig » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:31 PM UTC

Froyoh wrote: post #138

sammoth wrote: post #135

I tried a MacBook touchpad in the Apple store and I didn't get what the fuss was about. It has that annoying feature where when you click the cursor freezes for some period of time, which stops you clicking on multiple things in quick succession. It didn't feel any more precise to me in terms of pointing. I realise it has gesture support that works in close harmony with OS features, but just in terms of pointing and…

It's so responsive and smooth, especially double-finger scrolling

HP Chromebooks are exactly the same. It's all down to the driver.

Re: Linux touchpad like a Macbook: goal worth pursuing?

#210

Post by ak217 » Tue, Jul 17, 2018, 2:31 PM UTC

isostatic wrote: post #3

Am I the only one who prefers the nipples on thinkpads?

They are great, but the jumbo Macbook trackpads are better (I use both - my macbook's external keyboard is a Lenovo SK-8855). Also, be careful not to strain your fingers too much on the trackpoint. You could easily get carpal tunnel. My fingers start tingling after using the trackpoint for too long.