Slashdot Mirror
Razer Wants To Build the Best Linux Laptop, And It Needs Your Help (facebook.com)
Min-Liang Tan, a founder, CEO and creative director of gaming hardware company Razer, has assured enthusiasts that the company is looking into developing good -- the "best" he says -- Linux notebook. He writes in a post: The Razer Blade series have become the default coding machine for many out there and one of the most common asks is for us to support Linux on it. Well - we're looking at it and we're inviting all Linux enthusiasts to weigh in at the new Linux Corner on Insider to post feedback, suggestions and ideas on how we can make it the best notebook in the world that supports Linux. So if you're a Linux enthusiast, do check out the introductory thread.
Enough said.
128 GB RAM
(2) 1 TB Solid State (Raid 1)
Best CPU on the market
Best Laptop GPU on the market
4K screen
4 USB 3.0
2 USB type c
HDMI out
Thin and lightweight
10 hour battery life
Headphone jack
All for $499.99
Are they going to pay me? What on Earth is so hard about putting together a Linux laptop? Thinkpads have been doing it for a decade.
All Razer does is put together over priced crap that breaks the day after the warranty expires. Fuck them
How come when I read this headline, I immediately thought of the car that Homer Simpson designed?
This is the current competition: https://betanews.com/2015/12/2...
A truly free and open-source software laptop... which allows a FOSS BIOS or UEFI replacement, FOSS drivers. No Blobs, or Intel ME.
Journalists, activists, and anyone who must have a secure, trusted computing device, need a modern alternative that be purchased off-the-shelf and supports Tails.
But as it is, considering you still need to use the terminal to do something as simple as changing the resolution when the OS doesn't support the GPU drivers, or installing an application...
How to install software. Of course, not everything is going to be in your distro's repository, so sometimes I have to go to a website and download a .deb or .rpm file myself. Haven't compiled anything from source in years.
How to set the resolution.
"The Razer Blade series have become the default coding machine for many out there"
Uh... No?
Show of hands here on Slashdot - which coders here use that as their default machine?
A battery you can remove and replace yourself.
Ram you can upgrade without a soldering kit.
Removable panels to access dusty components.
Japanese metal capacitors that won't die in 5 years.
A modular power supply board.
A screen the user can replace.
Keyboard options.
Ports.
Open firmware, BIOS and drivers.
Yeah, you have your fucking work cut out for you and if you get any 3 of those into the final product I'll eat my hat.
Keys that work reliably even if you don't hit them square on.
Full size up and down cursor keys with the traditional inverted T layout so I don't get cramps in my right pinky.
Either middle physical touchpad buttons, or at least ensure the top and bottom sets can be mapped to 4 button codes, not two
(i.e. the clitmouse and top buttons are their own mouse device) so we can map primary selection pastes to one of them.
Don't do anything that prevents the touchpad firmware's gesture junk from being turned off or ignored.
Bonus for an extra wide touchpad with a plastic guard that can be slid over the left hand side to get a smaller but more centered
touchpad for those of us who would prefer to rest our left hand under the space bar without generating mouse events.
Someone had to do it.
We have enough of the shitty Linux laptops. We need a performance laptop, with:
at least 16GB RAM
17" 4k or 16" 4k display
at least 512GB SSD
preferably another disk, either SSD or HD
any graphics card (nVidia or AMD or Intel)
wired Gbit ethernet (it can have wireless as well)
USB3 and USB2 ports
Headphones/speakers, microphone jack should be standard. And should be overridden by a USB headset.
Note that I didn't get into the Intel vs AMD stuff. An intel i7 is fine, so is an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU.
Note also, that I didn't get into the card reader technology. An SDXC card reader is fine, if you want.
Too bad Linux still use the archaic terminal.
Saying that Linux still uses the archaic terminal, is like saying that F1 drivers still uses the archaic manual transmission. Seriously, we use it because it works for us. Actually, most of us use Linux because of the terminal, not the terminal because of Linux.
When OSX started to properly support terminal interface it started to attract developers, and now that more an more operations have become difficult without a GUI (i.e. debugging), developers are dropping it again.
this post contain no useful information, no need to mod it down
I love it when I log in to a production database server and see a link to the Windows store on the desktop. Now that's perfesonal.
FTFA:
The Razer Blade series have become the default coding machine for many out there
I didn't expect this to be true, but at my current client we have two guys working on maxed-out Razers. One guy wants it for his Windows VMs. And the other guy runs Android Studio. (As for myself, I'm an iOS developer so I work on a MacBook, and run my server stuff on a Linux VPS.)
8 of 13 people found this answer helpful. Did you?
You know, even ms realized the value of a terminal, and powershell was born.
Seriously.
Your neglect of quality control has been there for the entirety of your company.
If you're going to be selling computers worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, you NEED Q&A.
Otherwise, don't even bother.
Chas - The one, the only.
THANK GOD!!!
Razer Wants To Build the Best Linux Laptop, And It Needs Your Help
- if that is the case (and have been around long enough not to bother not only with TFA but even with TFS) then I can tell you they already screwed up.
A company seeking for a direction from suggestions of their customers before having anything they can show as a product in the first place... what is it, have they prematurely gotten rid of a director or something? A company has to have direction, customer suggestions are great an all, but they cannot be the thing that gives your company its purpose, you have to have a reason to do what you do in the first place.
I want a 19" 1920x1200 screen, 10TB of M.2 SSD storage, 2 quad core CPUs and 256GB of RAM in my laptop. I want it all for no more than 1200USD.
Thanks.
You can't handle the truth.
I don't play games but I do want an Nvidia card with real, supported Nvidia drivers and no lackluster, crashy Nouveau drivers AND ESPECIALLY NO FUCKING OPTIMUS HORSESHIT.
8 cores, support for 32+ GB RAM, 1 TB SSD, wifi card that works without jumping through hoops, standard keyboard layout with arrow and other keys in their proper places and a numeric keypad would all be nice, too.
Bonus points for physical NumLock/CapsLock/ScrollLock lights.
Don't care about the touchpad, I'd be happy if it were optional and I could leave it out because I never use the damn thing anyway.
AND ESPECIALLY NO FUCKING OPTIMUS HORSESHIT, in case that wasn't clear the first time. Thanks!
Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
System76 announced the aluminum body Galago Pro yesterday. They say it will be ready in April, but considering they are manufacturing them domestically and they haven't finished the production line yet, supply will be quite limited.
..I want a pony, and a lazer gun, and a new bike, and a robot that will do my homework, and a dog that won't chew my Hotwheels, and a dinosaur.........
Asking customers about what they want is kind of like asking 200 people to decide on toppings for one pizza, you might as well throw a dart at a feature dartboard.
Implement the things that everybody wants out of a laptop:
- Portable
- Good battery
- Reliable
For the opensource driver efforts, I would go for an AMD GPU.
Latest generation is supported out of the box by amdgpu opensource drivers all the way up to opengl 4.5 (thanks to mesa), already some opensource Vulkan (thanks to radv), and the kernel drm module is shared with the closed source amdgpu-pro, so it's basically just switching a few user-space libraries around to run the closed source driver if you need them that much (AMD only recommands them for some specific professional use cases) your kernel of whatever dristribution already has the drm module even if it's a beta pre-release.
AMD actively pays linux developers
(and since recently, a lot of them, now that they're trying to rebuild a shared codebase between their windows and linux drivers with DAL/DC)
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
Management firmware is basically a minimalist OS running on a separate low-power core inside the chipset.
Let them make that firmware opensource, problem solved.
(I haven't checked, but I'm quite sure it's just come embed linux system (busybox, uclib, etc.) running on a low-power ARM core, with special driver to run the hardware connected on the GPIO pins)
"Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
Too bad Linux still use the archaic terminal. If the elitists could just shut it with their god damn terminal and add a proper GUI for everything, Linux would gain mainstream support. But as it is, considering you still need to use the terminal to do something as simple as changing the resolution when the OS doesn't support the GPU drivers, or installing an application... Forget any sort of mainstream support.
Fingers broken? Can't type? Or are instantly defeated by something other than a clicky-icon?
Saying that Linux still uses the archaic terminal, is like saying that F1 drivers still uses the archaic manual transmission.
But they don't. They use a computer-controlled flappy paddle gearbox now.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
The best Linux machines are interesting architectures but there is no Windows support and unless they are willing to make a laptop that only runs open kernels like Linux (which they aren't) they will never make the best Linux laptop.
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
And while they're at it, matte finish on the screen. No one likes looking through their reflection in the screen to what's being displayed.
The year of the Linux Laptop!
Please make a light device with a tough body, 1440p screen, and long lasting battery, that's all I need.
And while they're at it, matte finish on the screen. No one likes looking through their reflection in the screen to what's being displayed.
This. How in blazes are you supposed to use the thing with every light in the room bouncing back at you off the screen? And forget working outside, except at night, maybe.
Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
Is it going to require a persistent internet connect + named account to use it as anything but a basic brick?
There is no XUL, only WebExtensions...
I picked one (stealth) up last month and it's my primary work computer. Battery life was the real winner.
Min-Liang Tan, what would be cool is to design a laptop that actually has wireless "power" capabilities. we have the obvious serial plug in the back of the laptop that comes with the a/c adapter and cord that everyone trips on because it has to plug into the wall outlet. we can send a human to the moon and bring them back but we are still married to the wall outlet to power the laptop and yes, the smart phones that run our lives today. ie: wall outlet and power transmitter that send power to the power receiver that is plugged into the back of the laptop via the serial port. ie2: the serial plug that plugs into the back of the laptop with a power receiver attached. both the transmitter and receiver should be the same size being small like the serial plug and the wall outlet. last but not least, a vibrating battery that when you get an email or instant message, the laptop vibrates like your smart phone. yes, we can obviously access our email from our smart phones but its much easier to work email from a laptop than a smart phone.
Security is the most important aspect of coding for a large organization.
We require full access, no "trusted" components. This means full firmware, full datasheets on components, design specs, as much as realistically possible.
MS has always "realized" the value of a terminal. PowerShell just happens to be the result of various attempts at making that happen. stuff like command.com, cmd.exe, (both with batch functions), cscript, and vba files were all meant to provide terminal access for admins. It's not like they just one day realized they should jump on the shell bandwagon like Johny Come Lately.
For this requirement:
My key requirement is to be able to play No Man's Sky without booting into windows, and to be future-proof by supporting at least current gen VR rigs
You'll need to go BSD, but you're in luck, you can buy the necessary hardware at your local Enormo-mart:
https://www.playstation.com/en...
Then you can buy whatever Linux machine you want for your work needs, and have the PS4 for games. And never have to touch windows to play No Man's Sky.
Put that CTRL key where it *belongs*!
Don't paint it black with red skulls, cobras, and psychoclowns. And don't call it the Razer Kraken DeathAdder Cobra Venom Kyllstryke BludDeth Copperhead Pit Viper XTREEM FragZ edition like we're a bunch of 90's Rob Liefeld comic obsessed dudebros
Just put Tux on the Windows key.
For extra points, build-in a full-sized clicky keyboard. Yes, it will be thick.
They could add a dedicated key to play a random Linus rant.
Razer doesn't need our help to build an overpriced laptop with a lot of LEDs. They do this just fine already.
BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.
Avoid Gnome, KDE and Unity. They are nothing but deadweight.
You got that right, those things are hot hot hot.. So hot they are on FIRE!
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
Please don't put any LEDs in it!
There you go, somebody had to say it.
- A physical switch that cuts power to the camera and microphone.
- Another one for WiFi
- Lots of ports. If it's a Linux laptop must be mainly for nerds, and we have lots of equipment and move in lots of different environments. I want to be able to connect to an old monitor if needed. How many ports? Start adding and when you reach the eSATA, you may stop.
- It should be a phone, with SIM and all that, and should run Android in parallel with Linux, for phone apps. Good integration would be nice.
-GPS, Bluetooth. I'ts a phone too, right?
- I should have control of the phone part, like being able to trick the phone part into thinking that it's in another location, things like that.
- Multi purpose dock with possible extra battery, extra disk, DVD, or more ports.
- Many possible disk, M.2, SATA, etc.
- Docking station connection.
- 8 cores, virtual machines are all the rage now, and they like cores.
- Lots of memory, see above.
- I personally couldn't care less about graphic performance, or graphic pixel density, as long as it's reasonable for working.
Rome taught me patience and assiduous application to detail. Virtues which temper the boldness of great, general views.
Too bad Linux still use the archaic terminal. If the elitists could just shut it with their god damn terminal and add a proper GUI for everything, Linux would gain mainstream support.
I can tell you've not ever managed a Windows box in any kind of serious way. Sure, Microsoft has all sorts of GUI's for your viewing pleasure, but even they haven't made it possible to do it all from an understandable GUI so you often end up at the command line on a windows server. It's not some "If the command line was good enough for the old gezers it's good enough for me" attitude. What really makes management GUI's hard to write is how complicated everything is, Linux, Widows or whatever.
So I don't believe the lack of GUI's is why Linux hasn't made it to the desktop. Windows doesn't have what you demand either..
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
You are all a disappointment.
So, let's start a flame war... Name your poison...
Systemd or Upstart?
Linux or BSD?
AC or DC?
Trump or Hillary.... (oh, forget that one..)
There...Feel better now?
"File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
I assume you're talking about tractor-trailers, which now are mostly ten-speeds, with a few 13-speeds. I drive trucks and have never even heard of a 24-speed transmission.
And most trucking companies are going automatic now, especially long-haul and OTR carriers. The manuals are being sold off to the regional and local carriers. Most drivers much prefer the automatics, and they're a lot safer.
Do not hire Tim Cook, not cut a row of keys, and create a TouchBar.
Avoid system, and bring out a notebook base on FreeBSD.
...or this seems a shitty commercial advertising move? "we care"...bah
I'm not giving up my terminal.
I'm not either. I use Linux to run my network and I have Cygwin on my Wintendo 7 box and I have a Linux box on the other side of the monitor which I use to do things which are much easier to do on Linux, mostly involving other people's code but sometimes involving hardware. Just having a real Linux box around to run dd on against USB devices &c is a real life saver. You can't count on the USB pass through stuff in VMs to actually work properly.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Look at what made the Thinkpad great and fix what Lenovo broke on it. Done.
Twitter supports and protects racists - by smearing their critics with the "Hate Speech" label.
But they don't. They use a computer-controlled flappy paddle gearbox now.
Don't play fool: you know perfectly well that I (imprecisely) used the term "manual" to refer to the gearbox based on gears with different ratio of teeth, instead of the one (usually referred as automatic) based on planetary gears.
this post contain no useful information, no need to mod it down
I don't believe the lack of GUI's is why Linux hasn't made it to the desktop.
Indeed. KDE beats the crap out of Windows in terms of GUI usability, flexibility and good looks.
When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
Really? I find them to be sort of uninspired. Nothing's seriously wrong, but that off-center touchpad falsely detects a tap about twice a minute in the exact same spot. It's caused by the pad being in the same place as my palm. The keyboard layout is easy to mistype due to everything being so perfectly regular and square. A lot of key combinations are a real reach. The touchpad is kind of messed up for a gaming laptop, in that you can't tap while holding the arrow keys. You can enable this functionality, but only by setting the touchpad to insanely high sensitivity, which amps up the false click detection. The plastic flexes when I pick it up by a corner. Am I eventually going to damage some internal component?
It's pretty good, but it hasn't reached the pinacle yet.
A cat can't teach a dog to bark.
= Reusable / Modular but practical computing platforms =
For God's sake make a laptop where, when the processors, storage, RAM cannot be upgraded anymore to keep up with age the rest of the machine ( the Display, the speakers, keyboard, touchpad etc.) can still be used over standard interfaces like HDMI, 3.5 mm Jack,, USB, PCI express etc. , so that it can be re-used instead of reaching the landfill. E-waste recycling is not yet at it's best in most of the world. And being able to quickly re-use the device in hand in ways unplanned for is what makes a tech-geek the happiest, in addition to mother nature - for keeping her and her children healthy.
Make it semi-modular, with the goals to be both re-usable and hot-swappable. Do not try to be another project ARA.
One way of achieving the above in a way the geeks would love: :
A seperate Compute Module in the spirit of Rpi-compute-module : the size of a small tablet-pc consisting of
* RAM, CPU
* and a small battery(enough to allow hotswapping between terminal),
* wifi, Bluetooth
* an SSD and
*an "expansion port".
This would come in several flavours - from netbook like power with max display res of full HD good for simple computing on-the go, to powerfull ones with Dual 4k displays enough for extreme gaming. These can dock into "Terminal"s and hot-swap between them.
The "Terminal" could be any of your "Terminal" products ( Each with it's own big battery/power supply) :
* A 10 inch laptop like dock, 15 inch, 20 Inch. WIth / Without touch-screen.
* Slim ones with membrane keyboards, small battery
* Fat ones with mechanical keyboards.
* Convertible ones - by detaching or twisting
* A "PC" Like Dock: which simply converts the expansion port into
* 1 or 2 HDMIs
* 4 USB ports,
* ethernet
* audio ports (from HDMI)
* and probably a Hot swappable SATA Port.
* A few different sizes of tablet like Interfaces.
Or any exotic but practical types of "Terminals"
* An "All in one desktop" like terminal with display and sound, with laser projection keyboard built under the display. And a Wacom like digitizer.
You missed a few!
Vi or emacs?
Gnome vs Cinnamon?
GNU/Linux vs Unix-like?
rpm vs dpkg?
Unimogs were utility vehicles with up to 20 speeds - lowest gave a gear reduction of 4000:1. They were used for all sorts of stuff. You could get them with a backhoe in the cargo bed, a loader or snow plow in the front, etc. Think of them as a one-ton-class pickup with a radical frame, wheels, transmission, and cab.
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
Not quite. Manual, Automated Manual, and Automatic transmissions are 3 different types of transmissions, and all 3 are available in haulers..
There are currently three types of commonly available transmissions for Class 6 to 8 trucks: manual, automated manual (AMT) and automatic. For many years, the simplicity, reliability and low acquisition cost meant the manual transmissions dominated the market. But as skilled drivers have become scarce and electronic engines allow better communication with the transmissions, there has been an ongoing shift from manual transmissions to automatic and automated manual transmissions. Several new AMT transmission choices in the vocational marketplace are providing popular alternatives to the manual transmission.
However, there is often confusion in the terminology “automatic” and “automated.” These terms cannot be used interchangeably. While AMTs and automatic transmissions both automate the shifting process for the driver and allow the driver to concentrate on the task at hand, they are very distinct products that accomplish this task using very different methods.
An AMT, as its name implies, is an automated version of a standard mechanical transmission in which an on-board computer communicates with solenoids to electronically operate the clutch and shifter. Electronic sensors, processors and actuators do the shifting to match travel speed with the load and job application.
"Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.