A Kubuntu-Powered Laptop Is Launching In 2020 For High-End KDE Computing

[Vistaus]

Your point about keyboard quality is irrelevant to what we were making. In a good laptop used by professionals a good battery is important.

Apple is commonly regarded as a "good laptop used by professionals on the go" in many fields and they do have a big battery by default to at least try to look like they are made for that.

So let me get this straight: people should buy a $1600 MBP just for gazing at the screen? 'Cause a laptop is not a laptop if the keyboard doesn't work, esp. on the go.

Yes, some ideas may be too revolutionary even for Apple and they have to rollback to still be understood and appreciated by their audience.

For example the old gen Mac Pro (the trashcan thing, you know) was too revolutionary for its times too, and now they rolled back to something more conventional with their latest Mac Pro.

Well, you know what they say:

[deppman]

For example the old gen Mac Pro (the trashcan thing, you know) was too revolutionary for its times too, and now they rolled back to something more conventional with their latest Mac Pro.

It wasn't revolutionary. It was simply stupid. Revolutionary implies some level of ingenuity that matters. The form factor of a workstation is not nearly as important as capabilities. Jonny must have missed that memo, because the design had enormous compromises all over the place to support a blatantly stupid form.

[starshipeleven]

I'm a freelancer, but I can't live without a ThinkPad and Linux. Though I *will* use the Planet Computers Cosmo Communicator for part of my activities, but still, no MBP here. Never.

Both devices with a true keyboard designed for typing on it.

[starshipeleven]

That wasn't my point.

Your point about keyboard quality is irrelevant to what we were making. In a good laptop used by professionals a good battery is important.

Apple is commonly regarded as a "good laptop used by professionals on the go" in many fields and they do have a big battery by default to at least try to look like they are made for that.

Right. So Apple changed the mechanism in the current gen because of user errors.

Yes, some ideas may be too revolutionary even for Apple and they have to rollback to still be understood and appreciated by their audience.

For example the old gen Mac Pro (the trashcan thing, you know) was too revolutionary for its times too, and now they rolled back to something more conventional with their latest Mac Pro.

[starshipeleven]

I don't agree with that.

You are wrong.

I try to do both;

Oh I do both too. Activities that I don't want Big Brother to see don't involve computing devices. Critical information is not stored on digital medium. If possible it is not stored at all.

Perhaps not, but I also know I'm allowed to patch and modify the kernel as events transpire.

This does NOT give you any guarantee of 100% security either.
Listen I'm not the one posting bullshit requirements, you are.

Actually, yes, there is certainly legal recourse for defective POWER systems. You can sue for hardware defects, and often win, but in general that is not the case for licensed software like the ME.

You can sue for ME too, as it is not licensed software. It is signed by Intel, only Intel is responsible for what it does.

So you advocate no proactive security measures?

There is a difference between proactive security and raging paranoia. Coming up with bullshit theories about how everything can be against you is pointless. There is no indication that the ME isn't disabled after you set the "disable" config option. It is the best that can be done without going on a Power or even Risc-V system, spending a fortune and ending with a device that fits in an ATX case or is just a powerful microcontroller.

Interesting. With POWER an open ISA etc., what would you be looking for in addition?

Full silicon schematics, of the entire die. The Verilog or whatever foundry-specific "language" the CPU is actually designed in.

It's not a matter of capability, but of trust. The CPU is a black box. Since we are into the "raging paranoia mode" you should not trust a book written by the vendor telling you "these are the instructions you can use", what if the little shit has added more instructions, more special registers, that are disclosed only to "privileged parties"?

See this lecture for example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH0F9r0siTI

[Templar82]

That said, I don't see any claims of a " disabled" ME on that page. I do see highly questionable claims of "open" and "secure" firmware (the ME is closed, signed, and locked, so not open or externally auditable at all) but no claims worse than that are immediately obvious.

Here you go.

[Vistaus]

The choice of the high-capacity battery predates the butterfly keys keyboard by like 5 years.

That wasn't my point.

Also I'm sure they are all using it wrong.

Right. So Apple changed the mechanism in the current gen because of user errors.

[starshipeleven]

But what's the use of a laptop that lasts all day if the keyboard is broken by design? (referring to the previous-gen butterfly keys)

The choice of the high-capacity battery predates the butterfly keys keyboard by like 5 years. Also I'm sure they are all using it wrong. Don't type too much on it, jeez.

Still, for commercial contracts (i.e. if you are not a private person) you can get contracts where they give you a new 3k euro MBP every 2 years and repair any damage to the product at no additional cost. At least where I live. It's not cheap, granted, but it is much cheaper than buying the hardware yourself (and you must be a company, and you must have 3-4 people minimum)

[Vistaus]

Heh true. I personally don't think the keyboards are quite as good as they once were but they are still years ahead of existing modern laptops (which have gotten worse still!)

Fully agree with you! +100

[Vistaus]

He is talking of the more "free" type of workers, artists and freelancers that are the backbone of Apple's reputation and brand recognition.
And yes, they commonly value long battery life.

If it wasn't for them that set the brand as desirable, the corporate drones you mention would be tapping away on HP or Dell laptops instead.

I'm a freelancer, but I can't live without a ThinkPad and Linux. Though I *will* use the Planet Computers Cosmo Communicator for part of my activities, but still, no MBP here. Never.