Re: [libreplanet-discuss] Saving up for Laptop, Free Software Discussion

[Jim Garrett]

I was thinking along similar lines, except that EOMA68 won't have "real 
computing power" in the sense that you mean.  However, if you need real 
computing power, set up an account on Amazon.  You could install a Free 
operating system on it, I hope.  Granted, you would be running it on 
someone else's hardware.  This would give you more computing power than 
any laptop, luxury or otherwise.  Of course, if your computing power 
really has to be local, such as processing audio on the fly, this 
approach won't work.

At work, I write and program with Emacs and R running a remote GNU/Linux 
desktop on a computing cluster.  I'm in Cambridge (USA) and the server 
is in Switzerland.  The latency is noticeable, but the computing speed 
is phenomenal.

A EOMA68 laptop might be the last laptop you buy, because every 
component is replaceable, and the computing core can be upgraded. 
However, it's my understanding that the design is focused on low 
wattage, so it will never be a heavy-computing system.

Have you read this?

        https://libreboot.org/faq/#intel

All Intel chips since 2008 have Intel Management Engine, including 
proprietary software, built into the processor.  AMD followed soon 
after.  If you're looking at a fully free system with an Intel or AMD 
chip, that chip is fairly old, so again you won't be getting "real 
computing power."  For real computing power that is fully libre, check out

        
https://www.crowdsupply.com/raptor-computing-systems/talos-secure-workstation

but it's not a laptop.  And they're not selling individual units yet.

Good luck!

Jim Garrett
Melrose, Massachusetts, USA


On 10/25/2016 04:05 PM, Adri S. wrote:
> I would keep an eye on EOMA68 project. I've bought a micro-desktop for
> crowdsourcing the idea.
>
> https://www.crowdsupply.com/eoma68
>
> On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 1:06 PM, Felix Posselt <felix_posselt@yahoo.de
> <mailto:felix_posselt@yahoo.de>> wrote:
>
>     Im not sure if i found the Computer you are talking about, but i
>     found a Laptop with the name Lenovo ThinkPad P70
>
>     1. The Bios won't be free. I guess you know.
>     2. Your workstation seems to have a thunderbolt. I am not sure, but
>     arent these proprietary?
>     3. Your Graphicscard has an official linux-driver (non-free) and it
>     also seems to have a free Linux driver
>
>     All in all it seems to be able to run GNU/Linux
>
>     The questions that remains is, why you would spend that much money
>     on a computer.
>     Unless you do some really extraordinary heavy work on that thing, or
>     plan to run a server for several thousand users, i don't know how a
>     Computer of that price range is going to have an advantage over some
>     consumer high end with an i7 6700K processor.
>
>     If I found the wrong specs, please give us more details about the
>     machine, and maybe plans on using it.
>
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>     *Von:* Andri Effendi <fusionman133@gmx.de <mailto:fusionman133@gmx.de>>
>     *An:* libreplanet-discuss@libreplanet.org
>     <mailto:libreplanet-discuss@libreplanet.org>
>     *Gesendet:* 16:30 Montag, 24.Oktober 2016
>     *Betreff:* [libreplanet-discuss] Saving up for Laptop, Free Software
>     Discussion
>
>     Hello All,
>     Just want to put this idea out there and question for discussion.
>
>     I am setting this goal that with in the next 3 – 5 years I will have
>     $10,000 AUD saved up to buy a luxury laptop workstation.
>
>     I want to save up for the absolute best computer that money can buy
>     because I want to have real computing power. :)
>
>     The computer I am looking at is the Lenovo Think Pad P70, or its future
>     equivalent since I have to save up a lot of money first.
>
>     I know that by the time that I have saved enough money, there will be a
>     different model available.
>
>     Now what I want to ask you folks…
>     Assuming I have saved the money needed for this computer, will I be able
>     to run Trisquel or an equivalent fully Free Software OS on it?
>
>     One thing that sits back in my mind is that WIFI will not work.
>
>     I don’t want to be dreaming about buying a $10,000 computer if I won’t
>     be able to run Free Software on it.
>
>     Does anyone have any suggestions or comments?
>
>     Kind Regards,
>     --
>     Andri Effendi <fusionman133@gmx.de <mailto:fusionman133@gmx.de>>
>     Organiser of The Free Software Movement in Sydney
>     www.freesoftware.org.au/ <http://www.freesoftware.org.au/>
>
>     GPG fingerprint: 8438 138D ECDA 05E0 591F  F2B4 4721 0F03 AC24 DF73
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>     unencrypted.