[Novalug] ( a little OT ) linux laptop prices

Walt Smith waltechmail@yahoo.com
Thu Dec 15 12:52:10 EST 2016


bottom commentary:


In the next few months, I intend to buy from system76,
   http://system76.com/laptops
Their 14" Lemur laptop starts at $699.
All their computers have hardware that works with Linux,
so I'd expect little problem with wifi, ethernet, or video when installing any Linux distribution.
System76 installs on their computers either Ubuntu 16.04 (default long term) or 16.10 (shorter term Ubuntu support).
Their inexpensive default CPU is Intel Core i3 rather than i5 or i7 ($160 more),


+++

And why are Laptop, and Desktop prices so high ??

The prices of CPU's are the primary cause.
Price of possibly several other SoC on the MB, memory, 
and the Windows tax are often discussed.
But really, it's the price of the x86 CPU whether by Intel 
( especially Intel )  or AMD.   And most of you know that
component prices arn't that high ( or are pretty low--
just price keyboards, displays, connects, TV sets with tuners
packaging .... 
Laptop sales are really "down" as are desktop PC's.  
But the prices didn't drop.    Chip makers stock the CPU's 
and wait for inventory prices
to do down, no matter how long it takes.
(Thats what the banks did with their house stocks. )

The point is:   Is there something we can do as a community ?
even in cooperation with Windows users ?  Both Intel and AMD,
and also Microsoft have passed the consumer innovation point,
at least --- all companies get there at some point in time... --
and the ARM chips are eating Intels cake :  Indeed - even 
Microsoft has turned - yet again -  to wanting IoT Windows on 
ARM chips  ( and variations by different chip makers. )


It seems a little odd to me that so many new chip designs,
and fab houses, can introduce and manufacture SO MANY
new processors, some quite sophisticated, that Intel and AMD
seem to struggle to keep their market and price levels.
The profits are Where ???  In the 10 nm process you say ?
Perhaps -- bearing in mind the newer fabs are designed
to produce Much More Much Quicker in volume,  and the
Chip makers are not the equipment makers which most 
people never heard of.

OK, so they built a $ 3 Billion dollar plant...and so why are 
the other  chip makers doing so well in cost and function 
for cars and smartphones ???  Anyone here an Intel 
stockholder ?   I'm not buying the reasons they sell, and am
somewhat familiar with other purported excuses.

Intel is now making the same mistake that Motorola did,
both with delaying getting into digital, and deployment of
an analog satellite phone system.  Boy are THEY screwed !!
Microsoft is looking for their next opportunity ( as Apple is )
and their ain't nothing in the wings.  Just a variant and
continuation of previous and other peoples ideas/product.
They're pushing pawns around on a chess board trying to 
block attacks by unseen enemies  the next big unseen
thing. How they handle such things has been proven over and
again to be persistent but narrow minded as well as too late,
too little, too exclusionary.


So, is  there anything we can do ?
If we just wait, Intel may very well Never lower prices,
and get walked all over.  But we'll suffer prices for another
10 years while that happens.


Walt......



----
 The government is lawless, not the press (people).
 ( [Supreme Court] Justice Douglas re: The Pentagon Papers )



More information about the Novalug mailing list