I personally haven't seen anything that suggests the numbers can clearly currently work, though I'm not in the hardware business. The numbers needed to make ha

I personally haven't seen anything that suggests the numbers can clearly currently work, though I'm not in the hardware business. The numbers needed to make hardware mass production viable are still high from what I've seen. You can look Apple's struggles with PowerPC and IBM because despite selling millions of computers every year, the number was barely interesting for IBM to invest in continuing the line. Valve's Steam Controller prototypes were done using 3D printers and interesting discussions of how expensive a mass production mold system surfaced suggesting the kinds of numbers that were needed to make it viable. There was an interesting article I saw in the past week dispelling myths about 'you' and manufacturing, emphasizing that Chinese factories are generally not desperate for your small orders. They are looking to make sure their capacity is always being utilized by looking for large partners they can build long term, stable, relationships with. Ignoring the problem for a moment that some "Linux enthusiasts" may still be swayed by other laptops due to competitive prices (lower prices or bundled stuff), availability (I need my laptop delivered today, not next month), or other features of competitors (aesthetics, weight, thinness, battery life, etc), you still have to deal with the problem that every user will probably want different features...different video card, different CPU, different storage. All this customization weakens the ability of mass production to win out. Now you start looking like the specialized PC market like the gamer laptops which charge premiums for their niche. Then the "Linux enthusiasts" have even more pressure to buy a more mainstream laptop because of the price differential. And unlike the gamer market (or the Apple market), there isn't a clear history of "Linux enthusiasts" willing to pay a premium for stuff. Finally, the current profit numbers for the PC industry look bleak for the long term. Demand is declining. But even if demand stayed flat, gross margins are shrinking. This is a tough business to be in, let alone get into.