Fabio Armon CamichelDec 9, 2024
nixCraft 🐧
On this day in 2004, IBM announced that it would sell its PC division to Lenovo 😟 Since then, quality has gone down for Thinkpad. It is now just following what Apple is doing. IBM had a fully industrial design team for the iconic brand back in the old days. It is sad to see such a legacy ruined by Lenovo
Dec 9, 2024 at 1:55pmWeb
Show threadOld Man in the ShoeDec 9, 2024
@nixCraft I don't trust Lenovo
Show threadAngelo MassaroDec 9, 2024
@nixCraft I am somewhat less critical of Lenovo’s performance with their machines. Based on my personal experience, they have been quite reliable. Their tablets are also the only ones I’ve successfully used to run Linux.
Show threadMindmonkyeDec 9, 2024
@amassaro @nixCraft every time I needed support with a Lenovo it was a good experience. One time I got sick of the Linux i installed and I called and mentioned it (I was like 10 at the time) and they sent me a new USB with windows on it for reinstall
Show threadJoe Brockmeier (@jzb)Dec 9, 2024

@nixCraft Wow, has it been *that* long? It seems more recent than that.

I like what @frameworkcomputer is doing these days with upgradeable and repairable laptops. They're not quite the tanks that ThinkPads used to be, nor are their keyboards as nice, but overall - happy with my Framework system I purchased earlier this year.

I like them enough to recommend to my younger brother, who would _definitely_ complain to me if he wasn't happy with it...

Show threadnoahmDec 9, 2024
@nixCraft very disappointing indeed. I've had 5 thinkpads over the years and have loved every one of them, but the quality has definitely suffered under Lenovo. On the other hand, I'm not sure the ThinkPad brand would be in much better shape today had IBM kept it.
I'm pretty happy with my X1 Carbon, now about 5 years old, but I'm really looking forward to an MNT Reform Next. Or if that doesn't work out for me, Framework looks like the next best option.
Show threadAnthropyDec 9, 2024

@nixCraft While I also don't like what Lenovo did with the Thinkpad brand especially with the yogas and all, I do still like the X and T series, they're sold to enterprises with an SLA so they can't really fuck those up (or it'll cost them fortunes they don't have)

I've been using the X1 Carbon gen 8 for years at work and it's literally the sturdiest laptop I've ever had, I regularly demo throwing it open onto the floor and stomping on the open screen with both feet, never seen anything like it

Show threadsvanschuDec 9, 2024
@anthropy @nixCraft You think so. My T590 had 3 displays, 1 Mainboard, 1 touchpad within 3 years and with less than 4 years the USB C port is broken. The T16 has some faulty pixels till now. But DELL and HP are even worse. I think I will try the frameworks next ...
Show threadnixCraft 🐧Dec 9, 2024
@svanschu @anthropy My former employer simply stopped buying ThinkPads because of the bad hardware that kept breaking. They just started getting the cheapest possible Windows machines for everyone. The quality of Lenovo ThinkPads went to /dev/null, and yet they were still charging as if they were a premium brand. LOL. Meanwhile, C C-suites started using MacBooks for their needs, and developers demanded MacBook Pros. It just wasn't worth it for them to pay a premium & get 3rd class service.
Show threadAnthropyDec 9, 2024

@nixCraft @svanschu yea most of the thinkpad brand is crap at this point. I don't know about the newer generations of X1 Carbon, but the Gen 8 has been hands down the most solid laptop I've had, even compared to toughbooks, which is pretty wicked.

As for enterprise laptops, probably Dell is still somewhat consistent with their Latitudes but I also haven't tried the newer ones there.

Framework looked really nice though, repairable, modular, solid, good Linux support, I also wouldn't mind one 👀

Show threadkaybeeque 🍁💪💪🍁Dec 10, 2024

@anthropy @nixCraft @svanschu 6th Gen X1 Carbon owner chiming in. Solid as a rock. No problems at all. Bought just over six years ago.

Maybe I've been lucky but it's the best laptop I've ever owned 🤷‍♂️

Show threadJerry 🦙💝🦙Dec 9, 2024
@nixCraft I have many opinions about IBM, but specific to thinkpad, IBM knows it doesn’t do well in commoditized/low margin businesses, and this is perhaps the one example where they roughly divested a business at the top. If they hadn’t sold it when they did, it’s very possible there would be no thinkpads in 2024. Normally, IBM bleeds the life out of their offerings before realizing what they’ve done and selling off the dying/dead husk to HCL.
Show threadJerry 🦙💝🦙Dec 9, 2024
@nixCraft also, I know you didn’t ask for that explanation - it was intended for the many other people replying to you about it. Apologies.
Show threadHoehlenmenschDec 9, 2024
@nixCraft Can't say anything about the history of thinkpads, I myself are not totally happy when it comes to my current X1carbon. But right now i'm purchasing a p14 gen5 for work and if I understand it correctly the RAM is not soldered on, as in the gen4. So when there is a downward spiral it's at least not monotone. ;-)
Show threadSimon GreenwoodDec 9, 2024
@nixCraft IMO, Lenovo laptops are generally Linux compatible and also very easy to find second hand. I'm typing this on a 2020 T14 that cost me £350. I probably wouldn't buy their domestic lines but the X and T series are excellent office machines.
Show threadAdam Trickett  Dec 9, 2024

@nixCraft I've mostly worked on corporate issued Dell Latitudes with only one ever going kaput.

One client issued me with a TP, the worst keyboard until they gave me a HP tablet/computer. I know lots of people say good things about TPs but the bottom end model I was given was far worse than a Dell. The whole thing flexed and creaked, and typing on it would randomly activate the touch pad. Slow as hell and heavy. The HP was worse but it wasn't a real laptop, just some showy tat.

Show threadIliasDec 9, 2024
@nixCraft
I still believe that they are making quality laptops. Maybe not as repairable as under IBM, but still far the best in the corporate market.
Show threadJohannes Jacobs 🏳️‍🌈Dec 9, 2024
@nixCraft funny, i think its better now that its Lenovo 🎉
Show threadMausmaki 🇧🇷🇻🇪Dec 9, 2024
@nixCraft After owning an "original" Thinkpad in those days, too, I never felt any inclination to purchase a Lenovo brand product ever since.
Good things get lost... This is life.
But... imagine a life without Linux 🤮
Show threadAcesabeDec 9, 2024
@nixCraft
So what is it exactly that the IBM Thinkpads had that other brands didn't or don't now that Lenovo has taken over? I have an old T60 and a newer Lenovo (although not a TP model), I feel it's mainly the keyboard and overall build quality rather than hardware spec or am I missing something?
Show threadBharathi / பாரதிDec 9, 2024
@nixCraft 100% correct. Started my TP Journey with R50. X13 will be my last TP. Stupid design changes, Poor quality and High cost.
Show threadNeonPurpleStar  Dec 9, 2024
@nixCraft fuck lenovo! 
Show threadBoloMKXXVIIIDec 9, 2024
@nixCraft I wish Fujitsu still sold laptops in the US. Those things seemed bulletproof. I kept my last one until I couldn't get drivers for newer versions of Windows. Linux wasn't even considered for laptops back then.
Show threadNuxDec 10, 2024
@nixCraft I blame IBM for ruining it, not Lenovo. Selling = ruining it. I am actually in a way surprised Lenovo kept the standard as high as they did all things considered.
Show threadnixDec 10, 2024
@nixCraft I honestly think T and X series are the best in class that you can get nowadays. You are 'generalizing' it too much. Name a better alternative!