Re:MNT Reform laptop has fully open hardware and software–fo...
by jogu on Monday January 31, 2022 @01:49PM
(#30152311)
The crowdsupply page has some insight on why they chose the SoM:
https://www.crowdsupply.com/mnt/reform
> Both SoC and memory chips sit on a System-on-Module (SoM) that we source from Boundary Devices, a US company that specializes in i.MX reference designs. We selected their "Nitrogen8M SOM" module for Reform because it is the only available module for which you can download the complete schematics and understand what every component does.
Yes but the review could and should be within that mindset, while making clear that it differs from a mainstream consumer product. Instead this review is like 'I guess if you care about <mindset>, then you're fine with <subpar spec>', while never really reviewing <subpar spec> within the context of other comparable options.
Like why did they choose a Freescale quad A53, rather than say the hex-core RK3399 of the Pinebook Pro? I assume it's because the system-on-module makes it possible to upgrade. Explaining that in-mindset tradeoff would be valuable, but it's completely missing.
Furthermore there is a comparison of mindsets to be done. For example if you are concerned with servicability but not Free software or ARM, this probably isn't the machine for you.
FWIW personally I segregate my usage of modern bloatware to separate machines, rather than taking a clean trustable machine (that I'm paying for in other ways) and then polluting it with unknown blobs. Devices have become inexpensive ($1300 price tag on this notwithstanding), and it's easier to give proprietary bloatware the environment it expects rather than trying to swim upstream.