I've been debating getting an MNT Reform: https://mntre.com/media/reform_md/2020-05-08-the-much-more-p...

It's got about the same specs as my main webdev laptop -- which is a Thinkpad X200t -- with a modern GPU.

It's got a mechanical keyboard and a trackball!

I'll probably get an MNT Reform when the LS1028A SoM is available[0]. Though I mean, it's tempting regardless. I picked up a couple super-cheap old ThinkPads in the meantime to tide me over, especially to "plan ahead" for my MNT Reform setup haha :)

[0] https://source.mnt.re/reform/mnt-reform-layerscape-ls1028a-s...

Love it! I've really, really wanted one of those for a couple years now but it would be a huge break from my policy of buying used machines after the depreciation curve flattens out. With the limited market and designed longevity of the Reform I'm not expecting to find them on the used market any time soon. (Plus I'd really love to get the kit and put it together myself!)

it's an arm based motherboard

given the target market, and the ubiquity of the thinkpad supply chain, it's a somewhat baffling decision not to use one of the models of thinkpad keyboards. Given they're already in production I'm sure if you went to one of the factories and said "we want 100k keyboards for the X230" or something that you'd get turned down. It's not like Framework is going to sell 100 million laptops anyway, I'm sure it's something that could be accommodated.

You can't just go to a factory or manufacturer contracted to build ThinkPad keyboards and ask them to build some of those for you, as that's proprietary Lenovo IP which can't be sold to third parties without their permission.

Same how you can't go to TSMC and be like "hey, you guys are making millions of M1 chips for Apple, ca you sell us some of those pls?"

I don't particularly think all the random chinese factories producing aftermarket Thinkpad parts are licensed to do so, but you might be correct that designing a product based on them might be a bridge too far.

Just because some shady factories are managing to fly under the radar building a handful of unlicensed ThinkPad keyboard clones without approval from Lenovo, doesn't mean it's something that Framework, or any other reputable HW maker who wishes to not get sued into bankruptcy, will want to touch with a 10ft pole for their own sake.

Or how did you imagine such a scenario would play out for Framework?

I like the keyboard, but my hope is they will just have an alternative keyboard one can swap in.