4 ms·

Thinkpads are not better than other laptops when it comes to Linux support. Just look at the broadcom wifi chipsets: if you mistakenly buy a thinkpad with one

Thinkpads are not better than other laptops when it comes to Linux support. Just look at the broadcom wifi chipsets: if you mistakenly buy a thinkpad with one directly from their website (and they obviously don't advertise it as such when configuring the hardware), and then ask their support to get it fixed/changed (even on your own dime) they'll just stonewall you. Once they got money out of your pocket, you mean nothing for them. The only solution is to buy a supported (intel chipset, for the wifi) FRU aftermarket (and good luck finding it, since Lenovo's support won't tell you that information). At least, with a Dell or a Chromebook I have a recurse if the hardware they sold me has incompatibilities with the Linux version they shipped it with Moreover: I won't support a company with such an horrible and embarrassing security track record as lenovo

joatmon-snoo 10y ago
Ah. I guess personally this is less of an issue because I stick to after market laptops, not new ones, and I know where to look to replace stuff like the WiFi module (had no idea Broadcom chipsets didn't have Linux drivers). Can't justify the price. On the security point, SuperFish was on a different product line - Ideapads, Lenovo's consumer line (with quality that parallels Dell's consumer stuff) - and I would have no trouble believing that some idiot SVP in the chain of command who had nothing to do with Thinkpads made that decision. For me it's honestly the TrackPoint and the modularity of the laptops. There's just nothing else out there that comes close to what Lenovo figured out 10 years ago, unfortunately.
- berdario 10y ago
  > had no idea Broadcom chipsets didn't have Linux drivers Actually, it was a Realtek chipset (I'm not currently using that laptop, so I remembered incorrectly). The driver was available, but it was severely unstable, dropping connections and packets, and even triggering kernel panics a few times (once it even happened during a coding interview!) > On the security point, SuperFish was on a different product line Unfortunately, SuperFish was not the only fiasco that Lenovo plagued its devices with: http://thehackernews.com/2015/09/lenovo-laptop-virus.html http://thehackernews.com/2015/09/lenovo-laptop-virus.html https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150812/11395231925/lenovo-busted-stealthily-installing-crapware-via-bios-fresh-windows-installs.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150812/11395231925/lenov...

joatmon-snoo 10y ago

Ah. I guess personally this is less of an issue because I stick to after market laptops, not new ones, and I know where to look to replace stuff like the WiFi module (had no idea Broadcom chipsets didn't have Linux drivers). Can't justify the price. On the security point, SuperFish was on a different product line - Ideapads, Lenovo's consumer line (with quality that parallels Dell's consumer stuff) - and I would have no trouble believing that some idiot SVP in the chain of command who had nothing to do with Thinkpads made that decision. For me it's honestly the TrackPoint and the modularity of the laptops. There's just nothing else out there that comes close to what Lenovo figured out 10 years ago, unfortunately.

berdario 10y ago
> had no idea Broadcom chipsets didn't have Linux drivers Actually, it was a Realtek chipset (I'm not currently using that laptop, so I remembered incorrectly). The driver was available, but it was severely unstable, dropping connections and packets, and even triggering kernel panics a few times (once it even happened during a coding interview!) > On the security point, SuperFish was on a different product line Unfortunately, SuperFish was not the only fiasco that Lenovo plagued its devices with: http://thehackernews.com/2015/09/lenovo-laptop-virus.html http://thehackernews.com/2015/09/lenovo-laptop-virus.html https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150812/11395231925/lenovo-busted-stealthily-installing-crapware-via-bios-fresh-windows-installs.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150812/11395231925/lenov...