A couple of things to talk about today.

First, the new 16" Framework laptop seems awesome. It includes room for upgradeable discrete graphics and is configurable so you can include or remove a 10-key keypad and recenter your main keyboard if it's removed. The Framework really is about as close to the "let me build my laptop like I want" dream folks like me have had for a while.

And they have already delivered. I bagged the old 13" Framework laptop, refurb, for about $600, that comes without OS, SSD, RAM, WiFi card, or a power supply. I pulled those pieces out of the junk drawer from upgrades of other laptops and installed Ubuntu. See? It really is like building your own brandless DIY tower.

My first gen refurb has a nice screen, decent keyboard, plenty fast with the slowest 11th gen Intel i5 Framework has ever sold, but what was most important to me is that I might be able to replace the battery in a few years when it finally dies. Amazingly, starting yesterday, they're selling a better battery with over 10% more power for my laptop. And not that I need to upgrade, but all the new processors fit in my box too (13th gen Intel and AMD 7040s) two years after its release.

Small, though not the smallest. High quality components, but not the best (not a ThinkPad keyboard or a MacBook trackpad by any stretch). Not the best battery life, but much better than my gaming laptop's. Clearly privileges repairability above all else, but still does a good job everywhere else -- which is why I'm so impressed by the 16"'s plans for graphics. If you need that much GPU power, and they pull things off as well as they have so far, you should start saving some real dough when you upgrade.

What's to hate? The stupid user-configurable ports. They cost $9-19 a piece for USB or HDMI ports. There's a nice group of four refurb expansion cards for $29, but they're $9 to ship. Robbery, I tell you.

I get why -- in theory -- "pick your ports" is a neat idea, but get this: The 13" Framework is just a four-USB-C-port box. The expansion cards ultimately plug into USB-C ports. Though you can go directly to the USB-C ports on the motherboard without expansion cards, the "raw" ports are difficult to reach without the cards installed, and I've got one port on my motherboard that's a little loose already. I wonder if they're rated for the same number of usages.

Overheard [in my head]:

Look, you have to have at least one USB-C for power. Why not just put in two permanent USB-C ports on every laptop and save $18?

"Because then you lose your choice for one slot. Maybe I only want one USB-C like [the old, super-slim 12"] MacBook"

Oh sheesh, whatever, fine. Why not one USB-C port that's easy to reach built-in?

"Well, what if someone wants power on the other side of the laptop and two different ports on that side?"

Sheesh.

That said, their "courage" parody showing they'll allow you to install SIX HEADPHONE PORTS on one 16" laptop is hilarious.

If you care about repairability and upgradability at all -- no, if you've complained about soldered on RAM and SSDs on MacBooks ­even once! -- you owe it to Framework to make it your next laptop. Refurbs like mine have dropped to $599... not a great price for BYO[RAM, SSD, WiFi, and power supply], as you can often buy a completely new gaming laptop with all those things for less (here's today's under $600 example).

But find me another well-made laptop with decent battery life that allows you to swap out an internal battery for $60.

Second, let me remind myself how to create and apply git patches.

From stackoverflow.com:

To produce patch for several commits, you should use format-patch git command, e.g.

git format-patch -k --stdout R1..R2

...

Then in another repository apply the patch by am git command, e.g.

git am -3 -k file.patch

If things go completely sideways and you're, like me, applying a patch from a thumb drive where there's no internet and no great Plan B, you can apply a patch file by hand even if git gives you the "It does not apply to blobs recorded in its index." error.

I really like how git anticipates and supports completely disconnected edits. It makes it really easy to grab a few files, any laptop, take off somewhere to get some work done, and know you can export that work back wherever you started.

Labels: framework, git