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> The problem though is chip architecture and the consequent software compatibility issues, and when compatible the performance issues. Is it though? People ha

> The problem though is chip architecture and the consequent software compatibility issues, and when compatible the performance issues. Is it though? People have been running GNU/Linux on aarch64-based laptops, SBCs, phones and servers for years now (and not just GNU/Linux, there's even Windows these days, as seen in this submission!). This is a well supported architecture across multiple distributions and OSes. Granted, M1 is a rather beefy chip to see in a aarch64-based laptop, but compatibility and performance issues of 64-bit ARM are areas that seem pretty well researched in 2020. It's just macOS being late in the game.

tambourine_man 6y ago
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Apple is usually not the first ever at something. Apple II wasn’t the first personal computer, Mac wasn’t the fist GUI, iPod not the first MP3 player, iPhone not the first touchscreen smartphone. It’s just that they often make the first a lot of people want to buy.
- ineedasername 6y ago
  Their talent over the years has been to take existing tech, understand how people will be comfortable from an ergonomics, fashion, and ux perspective, and combine those pieces of tech into the corresponding device. They make evolutionary changes that result in revolutionary shifts in consumer behavior. And over the years they've build up a marketing behemoth that convinces people "hey, this thing that might look a little weird (airpods) is cool and you're a smarter more attractive person for having them". So they move the overton window of tech fashion.
  - tambourine_man 6y ago
    Which do you think is more likely: - They are able to create compelling products. - Most people are stupid enough to be easily deceived by behemoth corp, to the point that other behemoths must copy them to stay in business.
ineedasername 6y ago
I'm no expert, but my impression from other HN discussions is that, in terms of consumer-facing general-purpose computing, Linux is a bit of a balkanized mess apart from raspberry pi, which has enough support behind it to keep things going strong, updated, etc. The rest is a miss mash of distributions with varying degrees if driver support in part due to closed black box components. (Again, I could be wrong, my knowledge on arm Linux is based on working with rpi and HN discussions.) Otherwise, you may be able to find ARM laptops, but nothing in this product class, and it is the entire chip design, not just the architecture, that makes this unique. For a few years speculation on the benefits of arm servers etc. have been bouncing around with cautious steps in that direction. The M1 points more strongly towards their viability, as well as for consumer devices, than anything else I can think of. I just don't want to buy Apple hardware to get it.

tambourine_man 6y ago

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Apple is usually not the first ever at something. Apple II wasn’t the first personal computer, Mac wasn’t the fist GUI, iPod not the first MP3 player, iPhone not the first touchscreen smartphone. It’s just that they often make the first a lot of people want to buy.

ineedasername 6y ago
Their talent over the years has been to take existing tech, understand how people will be comfortable from an ergonomics, fashion, and ux perspective, and combine those pieces of tech into the corresponding device. They make evolutionary changes that result in revolutionary shifts in consumer behavior. And over the years they've build up a marketing behemoth that convinces people "hey, this thing that might look a little weird (airpods) is cool and you're a smarter more attractive person for having them". So they move the overton window of tech fashion.
- tambourine_man 6y ago
  Which do you think is more likely: - They are able to create compelling products. - Most people are stupid enough to be easily deceived by behemoth corp, to the point that other behemoths must copy them to stay in business.

ineedasername 6y ago

I'm no expert, but my impression from other HN discussions is that, in terms of consumer-facing general-purpose computing, Linux is a bit of a balkanized mess apart from raspberry pi, which has enough support behind it to keep things going strong, updated, etc. The rest is a miss mash of distributions with varying degrees if driver support in part due to closed black box components. (Again, I could be wrong, my knowledge on arm Linux is based on working with rpi and HN discussions.) Otherwise, you may be able to find ARM laptops, but nothing in this product class, and it is the entire chip design, not just the architecture, that makes this unique. For a few years speculation on the benefits of arm servers etc. have been bouncing around with cautious steps in that direction. The M1 points more strongly towards their viability, as well as for consumer devices, than anything else I can think of. I just don't want to buy Apple hardware to get it.