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Bikeshedding, or why I want to build a laptop

(geohot.github.io)
224 points cspags | 7 comments | 01 Dec 25 01:08 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source | bottom
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MarsIronPI ◴[07 Dec 25 01:23 UTC] No.46178373[source]▶
All I want is a thinner Thinkpad X220 but with upped specs and newer ports. Framework-style upgradable motherboard would be nice but optional. The X220 already has a perfect keyboard, a mousing system that doesn't suck (sorry, I've never been happy with a trackpad: they feel too imprecise), a beautiful form factor for a laptop (if I want a laptop, I want it to be 12-14in for easiest portability), it's practically indestructible and has an array of ports that makes me wonder how people manage with just 3 USB-C ports. Maybe this is just me though.
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tambourine_man ◴[07 Dec 25 03:54 UTC] No.46179023[source]▶
> I've never been happy with a trackpad: they feel too imprecise

Everything non-Apple is. Apple's trackpad are great and have been for decades. I’ve done professional image editing on the go even with the tiny by today’s standards PowerBook G4s trackpads.

The real tragedy of our industry is that Apple got the basics right a few decades ago but seems determined to make their OS worse for pro user with every release. Yet no one else seems competent or willing to take on the challenge.

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1. sapphire_tomb ◴[07 Dec 25 04:10 UTC] No.46179087[source]▶
I see this comment about how awesome Apple Trackpads are all the time here, and just assumed I was missing out because I'd never used a MacBook. But I got given a MacBook Pro recently for work, and I'm super underwhelmed. The trackpad on it is no better or worse than any other trackpad I've used.
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2. nehal3m ◴[07 Dec 25 09:42 UTC] No.46180451[source]▶
Part of their magic is the integration with the operating system in the form of gestures. Their UI for discovering those used to be stellar; every gesture had a little video preview. Right now I'd describe it as just okay. Check the 'trackpad gestures' section in system settings, or this: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102482
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3. silon42 ◴[07 Dec 25 10:20 UTC] No.46180653[source]▶
I find it worse, because it's far too big for me... the thinkpad T series one is acceptable.

What I'd want in a hack laptop is a full size TKL keyboard (and full height, or close), with a trackpoint (or 2 -- add one near the arrow keys).

4. viraptor ◴[07 Dec 25 11:58 UTC] No.46181123[source]▶
The gestures are there in KDE already https://github.com/NayamAmarshe/ToucheggKDE
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5. ColonelPhantom ◴[07 Dec 25 14:51 UTC] No.46182063{3}[source]▶
Touchegg kinda sucks (gestures are not 1:1 but rather just "triggered"), and you also don't need it. KDE and Gnome (as well as some WMs like Niri) have native touchpad gesture support on Wayland. Using my touchpad for history navigation also works flawlessly on Firefox with two fingers (essentially just horizontal scrolling).
6. buildbot ◴[07 Dec 25 17:37 UTC] No.46183442{3}[source]▶
I’m sure they manage to hit 120fps smoothly too just like MacOS? …
7. lenkite ◴[07 Dec 25 18:25 UTC] No.46183813[source]▶
> The trackpad on it is no better or worse than any other trackpad I've used.

Compared to the thinkpad trackpad, it is light-years ahead. It is also more robust - functions with a little bit of dirt/oil/dirt/water. Get some oil on the thinkpad trackpad and you need to spend 10 mins wiping it away for it to work without driving you nuts.

Even hardcore thinkpad fans have grudgingly admitted to the superiority of the Macbook trackpad. Check the thinkpad forums to see their envy.