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What seems odd about this to me is his complaint that what he wants is out there, in the form of laptops built for linux and set up exactly like he wants, but t

by ufmace 6y ago

What seems odd about this to me is his complaint that what he wants is out there, in the form of laptops built for linux and set up exactly like he wants, but they're "overpriced". Uh what? If you're gonna be that picky about your setup, then it's time to pony up and pay for it. This stuff is never gonna get more manufacturer attention unless people buy it. If you wanna pay the lowest price, you should expect to get lowest common denominator in terms of setup.

kristov 6y ago
I agree. Even if the attention of major manufacturers is not caught, at least you are supporting the small companies doing it right. Back in the "golden age" we wouldn't have dreamed it would be possible to run a profitable company building free software friendly laptops or phones. I feel the frustration of the OP but at least now there are ways to vote with your wallet.
mxschumacher 6y ago
I'm generally quite price-sensitive and frugal and I want to describe why I think you are right in calling out the author on their "overpriced" comment: Two aspects are important to keep in mind for a decision of this kind: This machine is going to be your primary professional tool for the next several years - do you really care about a few hundred dollars extra? Especially if you have niche-requirements (read: non mass-market) like strong Linux desktop support and deep concern for privacy / security? Sure - you could do the research and build yourself and pay less for the parts - but if you consider your time at market rates, are you really making a financially smart decision by not paying a small premium on the price of constituent parts? Of course, I am aware of the excitement that can be associated with creating a custom build - if you are into that sort of thing: enjoy it as a hobby project, not because it is a better deal. Humans seem to have a hard time taking costs into account that are not easily quantified.
- AdrianB1 6y ago
  Just calculating, $400 extra means doubling the price for most of the corporate laptops (I checked the prices, my laptop was a bit cheaper than that). And I guess the OP was already spending more for a better spec'ed laptop, not buying the cheapest junk, so doubling up the extra is easy to speak about, harder to do, especially if you don't work for big money and you are in the rest of the world outside USA, Canada, Western Europe and Australia.
- ufmace 6y ago
  I agree. IMO, being frugal is more like being careful to spend extra money only when it makes a real difference in what you're getting than getting the cheapest version of everything no matter what. By all means, don't buy a $30k car when a $12k car does everything you need a car to do. But for a tech professional, it's silly to pinch pennies on a tool you spend a substantial part of your waking hours using and is used to earn your living and should last several years.

by ufmace 6y ago

kristov 6y ago

I agree. Even if the attention of major manufacturers is not caught, at least you are supporting the small companies doing it right. Back in the "golden age" we wouldn't have dreamed it would be possible to run a profitable company building free software friendly laptops or phones. I feel the frustration of the OP but at least now there are ways to vote with your wallet.

mxschumacher 6y ago

I'm generally quite price-sensitive and frugal and I want to describe why I think you are right in calling out the author on their "overpriced" comment: Two aspects are important to keep in mind for a decision of this kind: This machine is going to be your primary professional tool for the next several years - do you really care about a few hundred dollars extra? Especially if you have niche-requirements (read: non mass-market) like strong Linux desktop support and deep concern for privacy / security? Sure - you could do the research and build yourself and pay less for the parts - but if you consider your time at market rates, are you really making a financially smart decision by not paying a small premium on the price of constituent parts? Of course, I am aware of the excitement that can be associated with creating a custom build - if you are into that sort of thing: enjoy it as a hobby project, not because it is a better deal. Humans seem to have a hard time taking costs into account that are not easily quantified.

AdrianB1 6y ago
Just calculating, $400 extra means doubling the price for most of the corporate laptops (I checked the prices, my laptop was a bit cheaper than that). And I guess the OP was already spending more for a better spec'ed laptop, not buying the cheapest junk, so doubling up the extra is easy to speak about, harder to do, especially if you don't work for big money and you are in the rest of the world outside USA, Canada, Western Europe and Australia.
ufmace 6y ago
I agree. IMO, being frugal is more like being careful to spend extra money only when it makes a real difference in what you're getting than getting the cheapest version of everything no matter what. By all means, don't buy a $30k car when a $12k car does everything you need a car to do. But for a tech professional, it's silly to pinch pennies on a tool you spend a substantial part of your waking hours using and is used to earn your living and should last several years.