For those who don’t want to go with a lesser known brand Lenovo has several models that can be configured with Ubuntu or Fedora (usually a little cheaper than the Windows version).
Edit: I should also mention Framework who, despite ruffling some feathers recently for similar reasons as Proton, are still, in my opinion, one of the most viable alternatives to large corporations. Their machines can be purchased with no OS whatsoever.
Superfish wasn’t at the BIOS level, it was a root certificate preinstalled in the OS. Wiping the machine and installing Linux as your operating system would have prevented any exploit.
I can see why you’d still be rightfully put-off though, since it shows a lack of good security hygiene, and you have to assume if they screwed up once there’s no reason they won’t do it again for similarly profit-driven reasons.
My apologies, I conflated it with something else they embedded into UEFI around the same time. Lenovo Service Engine had security vulnerabilities and couldn’t be removed with a fresh Windows install, as UEFI would just execute it at startup.
I’ve had a few false starts with Linux. I’ve tried a couple different distros here and there over the last 20-ish years, but I never make it more than a week before falling back to Windows. That said, I hate Microsoft’s direction, and I’m holding onto Windows 10 as long as I can.
If you need dedicated graphics and Linux and only want to screw with one machine I highly recommend you check out Framework mentioned in my comment edit above. Their 16 can be configured with integrated or dedicated either AMD or Nvidia graphics and can be purchased with no OS.
Purchasing with Linux preinstalled is problematic for some users because for most distros (though this is being actively worked on) encryption is set up during install not OOBE.
No, you wouldn’t think so. Producing a model that’s available with optional dedicated graphics makes no sense. With notebooks every gram and millimeter counts so you would want different models for integrated graphics and dedicated. Which Lenovo has plenty to choose from.
If Lenovo made my X1 Carbon thicker and heavier just so you could have an optional dedicated GPU I would be pissed and buy something else. That’s what the X1 extreme is for
It doesn’t need to be a Thinkpad. It just needs to exist.
Why is this even an argument? We’re discussing normalizing Linux in the public brain. So, tweak a Legion for compatibility. Whatever. So long as 1 option for each purpose exists to get this OS out there and push back on Microslop in the process.
For those who don’t want to go with a lesser known brand Lenovo has several models that can be configured with Ubuntu or Fedora (usually a little cheaper than the Windows version).
Edit: I should also mention Framework who, despite ruffling some feathers recently for similar reasons as Proton, are still, in my opinion, one of the most viable alternatives to large corporations. Their machines can be purchased with no OS whatsoever.
I permanently wrote off Lenovo after the Superfish factory-installed BIOS-level malware scandal.
Superfish wasn’t at the BIOS level, it was a root certificate preinstalled in the OS. Wiping the machine and installing Linux as your operating system would have prevented any exploit.
I can see why you’d still be rightfully put-off though, since it shows a lack of good security hygiene, and you have to assume if they screwed up once there’s no reason they won’t do it again for similarly profit-driven reasons.
Also other brands have been just as bad about using the correct certificate.
My apologies, I conflated it with something else they embedded into UEFI around the same time. Lenovo Service Engine had security vulnerabilities and couldn’t be removed with a fresh Windows install, as UEFI would just execute it at startup.
I’ve had a few false starts with Linux. I’ve tried a couple different distros here and there over the last 20-ish years, but I never make it more than a week before falling back to Windows. That said, I hate Microsoft’s direction, and I’m holding onto Windows 10 as long as I can.
Lenovo ThinkPads, yes. Integrated graphics only.
Moving beyond integrated graphics in pre-builds is one of the larger issues in terms of availability.
For people who can only afford 1 and only 1 machine for everything, getting a version with an actual graphics card in it is going to be a necessity.
If you need dedicated graphics and Linux and only want to screw with one machine I highly recommend you check out Framework mentioned in my comment edit above. Their 16 can be configured with integrated or dedicated either AMD or Nvidia graphics and can be purchased with no OS.
Purchasing with Linux preinstalled is problematic for some users because for most distros (though this is being actively worked on) encryption is set up during install not OOBE.
The vast majority don’t need dedicated graphics in their notebooks. It would be a waste of money and energy
Even so, you would think the option would be available on the more expensive machines but it isn’t always.
No, you wouldn’t think so. Producing a model that’s available with optional dedicated graphics makes no sense. With notebooks every gram and millimeter counts so you would want different models for integrated graphics and dedicated. Which Lenovo has plenty to choose from.
If Lenovo made my X1 Carbon thicker and heavier just so you could have an optional dedicated GPU I would be pissed and buy something else. That’s what the X1 extreme is for
It doesn’t need to be a Thinkpad. It just needs to exist.
Why is this even an argument? We’re discussing normalizing Linux in the public brain. So, tweak a Legion for compatibility. Whatever. So long as 1 option for each purpose exists to get this OS out there and push back on Microslop in the process.