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Comment by sangeeth96 | Hacker News Reader

I'm happy to see Framework going after different laptop/PC segments and trying to break the long cycle of terrible products/cash-grab from all the big manufacturers in the Windows/PC market. I hope everyone eventually has a choice to go for one of these vs. whatever crap Dell/Acer/HP barfs out every year.

I've given up hopes of someone making truly exceptional products for Windows/Linux the way Macs/MacBooks get built. Surface was supposed to get us there but Microsoft just... gave up. Framework is approaching this from a totally different angle, focusing on reliability/upgradeability first and I do hope they eventually crack the formula to build the perfect products.

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What do you think framework is missing hardware wise?

Software wise they can't do much except ensure that their hardware has all the necessary drivers in the Windows and Linux kernels.

> What do you think framework is missing hardware wise?

Compared to MacBooks, there's the sheer build quality of not just the whole package, but each and every component. Ever since Apple Silicon, the MacBooks IMO are on a league of their own. My M1 Air is still my most favorite laptop to date and the newer MacBooks define what a "laptop" should be. I realize that Framework's goal makes them approach it from reliability/repairability/upgradeability standpoint but I do hope those laptops converge to the point of having just enough perf, quality and looks to make me want to completely jump ship again.

> Software wise they can't do much

I'd like to hope they think otherwise. I still think there's a big gap on the OS market where h/w+s/w wins can be realized together. Somewhere in between macOS and Linux and just the right bits from Windows. Unfortunately, I don't see anyone attempting to make that happen in meaningful ways. Framework could very well try to do that at some point but not holding out hopes given their current goals.

I think you are asking for tradeoffs in hardware that don't exist. A user repairable laptop necessarily has to have screws, wide bezels, visible hinges, and a somewhat thick body, which prevents it from having Apple product's clean and thin look. But there is a audience for that. Lots of people like that look, just as many people like the exposed brick aesthetic.

In terms of software UI and cleanliness, it's unlikely anything can happen till Framework is a many billion dollar company that can hire hundreds/thousands of SWEs to fix linux. That's what Apple does and succeeds (and Microsoft does and fails).

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