You might’ve noticed Framework, the laptop manufacturer, embroiled in a controversy as of now. The Discord server is on lockdown because the volunteer moderation team has gone on hiatus, and the Framework forum post about the controversy has been gaining unsightly amounts of steam from people disappointed at actions taken by Framework.
the problem with framework is that their products are quite a bit worse than their competitors (outside of repairability, ofc)
you buy their stuff because you want to support them and their values
…so what happens when their values aren’t worth supporting anymore?
there are other repairable laptop manufacturers out there, not as hype-y as framework for sure but still repairable, like System76, Tuxedo, Slimbook, etc.
I have tried to buy good laptops in the past (ThinkPads) and have been profoundly disappointed, part of the appeal of the Framework for me was that I could choose myself exactly what I wanted from my laptop. And I really couldn’t be happier with the hardware - build quality and everything is really great, and a completely different league from machines I have wasted money on in the past even though I tried my best to do my research.
It’s possible I should have tried System76 or Tuxedo, but I am really very happy with my Framework. Don’t think it makes sense to say it’s worse than the competition. But of course, a small company + repairability is reflected in the price.
I can say the same about my Framework 16. Best laptop I’ve owned, in terms of the features I care about anyway.
But also, I’d like to be able to advocate for it without worrying about the association.