Linux 6.4 Bringing Apple M2 Additions For 2022 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Linux 6.4 Bringing Apple M2 Additions For 2022 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Mini

Further adding to the excitement of the upcoming Linux 6.4 merge window is the mainline kernel seeing the Device Tree (DT) additions for Apple's current M2 devices including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini systems. The upstream kernel still has more work to go around the M1/M2 support compared to the downstream state with Asahi Linux, but at least now with this DT support will provide some basic level of upstream kernel support for the Apple M2...

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Apple-M2-Device-Tree-Linux-6.4

[t.s.]

I have no idea why there's people supporting these kind of all-soldered-one-time-use-then-go-to-bin garbage (same with chromebook). Even Torvalds's on the boat. But still, all the best for them.

[user1]

I have no idea why there's people supporting these kind of all-soldered-one-time-use-then-go-to-bin garbage (same with chromebook). Even Torvalds's on the boat. But still, all the best for them.

I don't see an issue in making a completely proprietary/closed platform at least somewhat more free.

[hiryu]

Ethernet is supported... but probably the 1 Gbps version and not the 10 Gbps version yet... Ah well. Really looking forward to using Linux on Apple Silicon... I have a bit of time left before I'll be able to do it, but given the manpower, I think the pace of development is pretty good!

[schmidtbag]

I have no idea why there's people supporting these kind of all-soldered-one-time-use-then-go-to-bin garbage (same with chromebook). Even Torvalds's on the boat. But still, all the best for them.

Planned obsolescence is a very real and legitimate problem, but had it not occurred to you that the efforts put toward such devices works in spite of that? You ain't gonna win by boycotting Apple, so we might as well make the most out of the situation. Besides, why does it matter if it's soldered? Having a platform that can be upgraded might add another 2 years of life, maybe 5 depending how substantial the upgrade was. In the grand scheme of things, they still face the same fate. At least with these M1/M2 systems, they have a small footprint, both in terms of material and power draw, so their long-term impact is smaller than a typical upgradable desktop PC.

[brucethemoose]

I have no idea why there's people supporting these kind of all-soldered-one-time-use-then-go-to-bin garbage (same with chromebook). Even Torvalds's on the boat. But still, all the best for them.

Soldering RAM has performance/power usage implications. The signal integrity is just better when the traces are shorter and contact free, and soldering is going to happen in desktops and servers, eventually.


That being said, there is no excuse for Apple (and ALL laptop OEMs) for deliberately avoiding a Framework-like approach, where you can swap out complete PCBs at the very least.

[skeevy420]

I have no idea why there's people supporting these kind of all-soldered-one-time-use-then-go-to-bin garbage (same with chromebook). Even Torvalds's on the boat. But still, all the best for them.

For me it depends on the use-case of the AIO boards. When they're for game consoles, vehicles, and other LTS or industrial products they make a lot of sense since that keeps manufacturing costs down and reliability up. Like brucethemoose points out, they'd be better if they followed standards and had a framework-like approach so they'd more-readily support repairs and component swapping. Even better would be if they considered recycling 10 years down the line.

When they're for consumer products that may or may not be replaced or broken every few years they kind of suck and I don't necessarily like them. Pain in the ass to impossible to repair, nothing follows a standard, and when one thing goes out it's easier to trash and replace than to repair or recycle. In that regard they create a lot of waste and should be avoided.

[t.s.]

I don't see an issue in making a completely proprietary/closed platform at least somewhat more free.

If none care/buying their completely closed platform, maybe they'll learn to create somewhat an open platform. At least, no soldered SSD and/or RAM.

[t.s.]

Soldering RAM has performance/power usage implications. The signal integrity is just better when the traces are shorter and contact free, and soldering is going to happen in desktops and servers, eventually.


That being said, there is no excuse for Apple (and ALL laptop OEMs) for deliberately avoiding a Framework-like approach, where you can swap out complete PCBs at the very least.

I still can tolerate for soldered RAM like on ARM SBC, e.g. OrangePi 5B; but cannot tolerate soldered SSD. And I do hope that these kind of things (all soldered) just stay with Apple/Chromebook. What's very anti-consumer is it intentionaly designed so that none can upgrade/update. Look no further than their iPhone 14s. All main peripherals have S/N. You cannot buy from third party, canot self-repair.

Ditto for framework laptop.

[t.s.]

You ain't gonna win by boycotting Apple

One can dream, yes?

Having a platform that can be upgraded might add another 2 years of life, maybe 5 depending how substantial the upgrade was. In the grand scheme of things, they still face the same fate. At least with these M1/M2 systems, they have a small footprint, both in terms of material and power draw, so their long-term impact is smaller than a typical upgradable desktop PC.

Right. So, why bother to:

• Wash our clothes. Just one-time-use-it and throw it away. It'll eventually dirty again.
• Repair the PC. Just throw it away when something gone wrong. Just prolong the life maybe 2-5 years. It'll eventually break.
• Eat! We'll eventually hungry again. It just prolong the -fullness- for a few hours.
• Exercise. We'll eventually sick.
• Have a job. We'll eventually resign when old.
• etc..

As a good earth citizen, we shouldn't support these kind of sh*t by those OEM. We just have one earth. If one don't care/ give benefit, at least don't cause harm to it.