But they've actually gone one step further than just manufacturing their own case: the "Thelio Io" board that they mention looks very much like a replacement for (part of) the motherboard's "embedded controller" (EC) functionality, and all of the design files and source code [1] certainly seems to meet the criteria to be called open hardware with open source firmware.

For some context, the EC in most laptops is usually a highly proprietary ASIC (good luck even finding a datasheet) running a blob of proprietary firmware on an 8051 core. It's responsible for handling the power and lid switches, sequencing the powering on and off of the main system CPU, controlling fan speed and temperature sensors, etc.

[1] https://github.com/system76/thelio-io

What Carl and co are doing here is hard, and more than most PC manufacturers in the US are doing. Is it perfect? Of course not but they are doing the best they can given their resources. Given more I have no doubt they would do more.

Please keep that in mind.

Gotta start somewhere. Kudos to them for actually trying to manufacture something in the US instead of throwing up their hands and saying “those jobs aren’t coming back.”