Laptop advise - Thinkpad vs KDE Slimbook vs System76

TLDR: Looking for suggestions for a new linux laptop under 2k CAD. Confused b/w Thinkpad/KDE Slimbook/System76.

So after months of saving, i think i'm ready for my next laptop after a long time \[i have been using my current laptop for around 8yrs now, and geez most of the things i knew about hardware has changed\]. I'm waiting for black friday to make the purchase.

My usecases:

1. I will use my laptop for tinkering around things like VMs, Dockers etc, trying out new programming languages etc.
2. I want to install and use Arch Linux - i might choose to move away to a different distro later. However i don't see myself going back to Windows, so linux support is of atmost importance.
3. My linux literacy is somewhere b/w beginner and intermediate - so i think i can google around stuff and apply fixes and solutions for "not-very-complicated" problems. I have been using Kubuntu for around a year now in my personal laptop.
4. Laptop will mostly be used along with a dock with 2-3 displays \[like a workstation\] , but i also want to carry the laptop for meetups and stuff. So i prefer laptop being an ultrabook - but anything not too heavy can be managed.

​

Specs i'm looking for:

1. Budget: Max 2k CAD \[1.5k USD/1.36K EUR\]. To be bought and used in Canada.
2. CPU: i5/i7 \[i7 preferred\]. I have read about Ryzen - but not sure how well they are linux supported, and none of the laptops i was looking for had this CPU.
3. RAM: 16GB or more. How is your experience with soldered RAM? Do they get damaged easily? I can start with 8GB and maybe later add 8GB.
4. Display: I don't game, also don't care much about the 4k display. So anything with HD and about will suffice. Definitely won't use the touchscreen feature or tablet mode.
5. Battery - Anything above 4-5hrs is fine as i will be mostly using this as a desktop with dock.
6. Storage: 250GB NVMe SSD
7. Repairabe: I plan to use this laptop atleast for next 5yrs. So something easily repairable will be preferred.

​

In your experience, how good are exlusive linux laptops like KDE Slimbook or/ System76? Are they better thank thinkpads ? I personally have shortlisted Thinkpad X1 Carbon \[but integrated memory is a disadvantage\] and few T series.

I would love to hear your opinions.

​

TLDR: Looking for suggestions for a new linux laptop under 2k CAD. Confused b/w Thinkpad/KDE Slimbook/System76.

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Pinebook Pro update and discussion

What do folks think of the pinebook pro? It's a $200 linux laptop from Pine64. Preorders are open now, but the specs/language used on the page don't fill me with a great deal of confidence.

Do people think this is a steal for a linux laptop? Or a waste of time/money and buying a 'better' laptop and 'linux-ing' it would be a better choice?

Pre order link here: https://store.pine64.org/?product=14-pinebook-pro-linux-laptop

Note, I'm not affiliated with Pine at all, just saw this and wanted a discussion

https://redd.it/cljzkt
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i3wm 4.17 released
https://i3wm.org/downloads/RELEASE-NOTES-4.17.txt

https://redd.it/cll6zg
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LinuxInsider TROM-Jaro review. (Manjaro w/ customized GNOME and non-libre packages removed).
https://www.linuxinsider.com/story/TROM-Jaro-A-New-Twist-on-Open-Source-Freedom-86160.html

https://redd.it/cllcrw
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[PATCH] MAINTAINERS: floppy: take over maintainership
https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/57af5f3e-9cfe-b6d8-314c-f59855408cd5@linux.com/

https://redd.it/clmsvd
@r_linux

What exactly does this bash noscript do?

I found a bash noscript and I honestly dont know what it does and have come up empty handed trying to figure it out. the bash noscript is named "Foobar" I found it on a computer running Slackware I picked up from a goodwill. oddly enough the password for root was "root"

this laptop is a treasure trove of noscripts but this one is the most confusing to me.

​

Edit: also when I connect it to the internet I get people logging in and accessing the laptop with in 5 minutes. yes the date and time are wrong but I dont really care about that right now.

https://i.redd.it/ibbsy6dwwae31.gif

NULL=/dev/null
ROOT=$HOME/.bo
BOCL=/usr/local/bin/bo
LOGS=$ROOT/bo.log
VERS=0.2

usage() {
echo ""
echo "usage: $(basename $0) Version $VERS"
echo "-r Reboot host"
echo "-d dialog"
echo ""
exit 0
}

error() {
echo "Can't connect to $TARGET_HOST!"
echo ""
exit 1
}

chkhost() {
ping -qc 1 $TARGET_HOST > $NULL
if [ "$?" = "1" ]; then error; fi
}

connect() {
echo "You can use an IP as well."
echo -ne "Hostname to target: "; read TARGET_HOST
echo "Anything under 60 seconds is silly."
echo -ne " Number of seconds: "; read SECOND_WAIT
}

if [ -d "$ROOT" ]; then : ; else
echo Creating directory: $ROOT
mkdir -m 700 $ROOT
fi

if [ "$#" = "0" ]; then
usage
elif [ "$1" = "-r" ]; then
connect
while true; do
chkhost
echo -ne "host $TARGET_HOST\nreboot" | $BOCL >> $LOGS
echo "$TARGET_HOST rebooted!"
echo ""
sleep $SECOND_WAIT
done
elif [ "$1" = "-d" ]; then
connect
echo -ne "Message to display: "; read MES
echo -ne " Window noscriptbar: "; read TIT
while true; do
chkhost
echo -ne "host $TARGET_HOST\ndialog \"$MES\" \"$TIT\"" \
| $BOCL >> $LOGS
echo "$TARGET_HOST recieved message!"
echo " Message displayed: $MES"
echo " Window noscriptbar: $TIT"
echo ""
sleep $SECOND_WAIT
done
elif [ "$1" = "-s" ]; then
connect
while true; do
chkhost
echo -ne "host $TARGET_HOST\nprocspawn \"start shit.mpg\"" \
| $BOCL >> $LOGS
echo "$TARGET_HOST is shit"
echo ""
sleep $SECOND_WAIT
done
else
usage
fi

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i removed old EFI entries from boot menu and i can't get to the bios

Hello i removed old EFI entries from boot menu and i can't get to the bios.

when i boot up it says F2 for Setup and F4 for recovery but the only one that works is the recovery one.

F10 used to work for me to get straight to the bios.

Can anyone please help me?

(Note: i deleted manjaro and ubuntu entries)

(Edit: this is the video i followed https://youtu.be/255ltqk7xDM)

https://redd.it/cloe02
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Just installed Ableton Live 10 using WINE and it runs flawlessly on Linux!
https://www.tekbyte.net/how-to-install-ableton-live-10-on-linux-with-wine-it-works-flawlessly/

https://redd.it/cls07p
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Why does Google maintain Chromium, as it allows people to stay away from Chrome more easily?
https://old.reddit.com/r/fossdroid/comments/ckwfk7/why_does_google_maintain_chromium_as_it_allows/

https://redd.it/clsnm8
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sampler: a tool for shell commands execution, visualization and alerting
https://github.com/sqshq/sampler

https://redd.it/clsimf
@r_linux

KDE Usability & Productivity: Week 82
https://pointieststick.com/2019/08/03/kde-usability-productivity-week-82/

https://redd.it/cltjg7
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Godot Engine - Porting to Vulkan Progress Report #2
https://godotengine.org/article/vulkan-progress-report-2

https://redd.it/cltziw
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Is this how Audacity should look?
https://redd.it/cltyzt
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Linux is Fun!



Linux is a kernel. GNU is Userspace tools. GNU/Linux is an operating system.

But we call it "linux" for ease.

Android uses linux.

Amazon uses linux (from AWS to Kindle)

ChromeOS uses linux.

...none of these projects are Open Source or FOSS (Free Open Source Software). They use a kernel available to anyone, even Microsoft, to use (see linux subsystem for Windows).

Just because you have and can compile the code does not mean it's FOSS (see nvidia drivers and mp3 codecs).

Open Source does not mean GPL compliant. See ZFS (which is published under the MIT lisences).

"Runs on linux" does not mean it's safe, free, or open source, and "Open Source" does not mean it's available on every server; you might enjoy ZFS on one Ubuntu server but not on a different CentOS system because of lisencing.

That said, use what works. I run all sorts of non-free software on my system. Nvidia, Plex, Dropbox to name a few. But I house my data on FOSS storage (btrfs) in FOSS formats (mkv flac epub odt) and use projects that have active community. Most of my programs are acquired as binary, but I compile them when I must.

Just remember that "linux" means a lot of things. And for God's sake, have fun! Because Linux is fun :)

https://redd.it/cluepm
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The Inside View: How Krita is Developed
https://krita.org/en/item/the-inside-view-how-krita-is-developed/

https://redd.it/cltxrb
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Update nvidia drivers before booting with kernel 5.0

Yesterday I noted my PC (i7-3930k with nvidia GTX 770 on Ubuntu 18.04) would not boot anymore after installing ubuntu updates. Ubuntu updated my linux kernel from 4.18 to 5.0 so I tried kernel 4.18 and everything was fine.

My gut was telling me this was related to nvidia drivers. I don't really game on my ubuntu dual boot so I was not really bothered with keeping my graphics drivers up to date after initial installation (I was using nvidia driver 340). I updated the nvidia drivers to 390 using `sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall` and now I am able to boot with the new linux kernel.

As Google didn't really help me, I just want to share this here just in case someone else is experiencing this.

https://redd.it/cltdlt
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Replicate your system with self-hosted Arch Linux metapackages
http://ownyourbits.com/2019/07/21/replicate-your-system-with-self-hosted-arch-linux-metapackages/

https://redd.it/clw800
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Linux mtk - wiki for the mainlining effort of MediaTek SoCs
https://mtk.bcnfs.org/doku.php

https://redd.it/cltwpd
@r_linux

Create files with future and past timestamps? Possible?

How to create files on Linux with future and past dates for testing purpose. Is it possible?

https://redd.it/clxcq5
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Nextcloud desktop applications
https://www.reddit.com/r/NextCloud/comments/cluzks/curated_list_of_linux_desktop_apps/

https://redd.it/clxw01
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Samba on Ubuntu 18.04.X (LTS) refusing incoming connections

Please for the love of god help, I've tried all the methods I can source, and I probably broke something with all my attempts.

Linux won't connect to it (from Kubuntu 19.04 LTS), and Windows 10 won't either.

Just list all the steps needed to set this up, preferably in one long chained command.

https://redd.it/cly3x3
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