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> Linux is expected to work with random crap, that even its vendors have given up upon. What prevents Linux from picking ONE touchpad to optimize for? After al

by curt15 6y ago

> Linux is expected to work with random crap, that even its vendors have given up upon. What prevents Linux from picking ONE touchpad to optimize for? After all, both Lenovo and Dell are now shipping certain laptop models with official Linux support.

jandrese 6y ago
That brings you back to the days when you have to compare model numbers on every piece of equipment you buy to see if it is compatible, and discovering all to often that the compatible version was last year's model and the one you can buy isn't supported. Casting a wide net is necessary if you don't want just a niche audience.
- curt15 6y ago
  If one laptop vendor provides a particularly stellar experience, then it would gain in popularity and encourage others to compete. A "jack of all trades, master of none" approach would only condemn everyone to mediocrity.
  - jandrese 6y ago
    I think you're overestimating how much hardware manufacturers care about the Linux market.
    - m463 6y ago
      also, why create a linux driver when drivers for other OS's can have phone home/telemetry/postsales monetization/etc
    - cmrdporcupine 6y ago
      All of this is just woefully overestimating how important the desktop market is to manufacturers at this point, Windows and Apple included. Hardware manufacturers care a lot about the Linux market. But that Linux is Android, not desktop machines. Yes, the linux desktop segment is a tiny fragment of the market, but that market itself is shrinking and has been for almost a decade.
- criddell 6y ago
  You have to start somewhere. I'd argue that mediocre on most hardware and excellent on a few particular models is better than mediocre everywhere.
vetinari 6y ago
And they both are upstreaming improvements for those supported products. For example: https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-5.10-Synaptics-RMI4-F3A https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-5....

by curt15 6y ago

jandrese 6y ago

That brings you back to the days when you have to compare model numbers on every piece of equipment you buy to see if it is compatible, and discovering all to often that the compatible version was last year's model and the one you can buy isn't supported. Casting a wide net is necessary if you don't want just a niche audience.

curt15 6y ago
If one laptop vendor provides a particularly stellar experience, then it would gain in popularity and encourage others to compete. A "jack of all trades, master of none" approach would only condemn everyone to mediocrity.
- jandrese 6y ago
  I think you're overestimating how much hardware manufacturers care about the Linux market.
  - m463 6y ago
    also, why create a linux driver when drivers for other OS's can have phone home/telemetry/postsales monetization/etc
  - cmrdporcupine 6y ago
    All of this is just woefully overestimating how important the desktop market is to manufacturers at this point, Windows and Apple included. Hardware manufacturers care a lot about the Linux market. But that Linux is Android, not desktop machines. Yes, the linux desktop segment is a tiny fragment of the market, but that market itself is shrinking and has been for almost a decade.
criddell 6y ago
You have to start somewhere. I'd argue that mediocre on most hardware and excellent on a few particular models is better than mediocre everywhere.

vetinari 6y ago

And they both are upstreaming improvements for those supported products. For example: https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-5.10-Synaptics-RMI4-F3A https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-5....