I just looked at the preorder form for their Framework Laptop 16 DIY Edition (AMD Ryzen™ 7040 Series), and… oh, wow, they’re actually getting somewhere with gen

I just looked at the preorder form for their Framework Laptop 16 DIY Edition (AMD Ryzen™ 7040 Series), and… oh, wow, they’re actually getting somewhere with genuine customisability beyond the usual components. Things like the keyboard row: as well as choosing the keyboard layout and style, which is not rare (though blank caps is seldom an option!), you can then choose what to fill the remaining space with: two spacers (probably one on each side to centre-align the keyboard, but you could left-align it, and I suppose that right-aligning would work too), of one of four colours or colour-shifting or LED matrix, or else a numpad, or else a macro pad (6×4 clear keys with RGB backlight—three more keys than the numpad which has three double-sized keys). And finally an optional discrete graphics card. (And not NVIDIA, at that.) Interesting stuff. I’ll pay definite attention to their products when seeking my next laptop. Other things I’d like: option of touch/stylus support on the screen; option of more keyboard buttons, like the extra four my ASUS Zephyrus G15 has (dedicated volume-up/volume-down/mic-mute/something-else buttons is so good and I mildly dread going back to something without this); and cluster the function row please! (that is: Esc, gap, F1–F4, gap, F5–F8, gap, F9–F12, preferable gap, Delete). I’d also prefer taller arrow keys, extending lower than the rest of the keyboard, but understand that the basic modular design is incompatible with that. And maybe better speaker arrangements… 180° or more screen hinge… yeah, I suppose I could keep on going, it’s definitely still some way off my ideal laptop, but it’s looking pretty good.