Razer Looking for Our Input about Linux on Razer Edge

[john.m...@gmail.com]

This is your chance to tell Razor that we don't want binary blobs or "Intel ME" and that they can sell a lot more if they become "Qubes-certified".

https://insider.razerzone.com/index.php?threads/welcome-to-the-linux-corner.20618/

Holler loud and cross your fingers.

John E. Mayorga

[Grzesiek Chodzicki]

Just posted on this thread. Would be nice if they actually went through the Qubes certification process, their laptops are very nice.

[Tai...@gmx.com]

This is impossible without cooperation from intel, any intel system from
nehalem (first core system) on will NOT work without the ME binary
blobs, the (black box) supervisor processor will simply auto-restart
after 30 minutes.

If google can't get intel to release the code and a flashing mechanism
for ME then nobody can.
https://web.archive.org/web/20161010040458/https://blogs.coreboot.org/blog/2015/02/23/the-truth-about-purism-why-librem-is-not-the-same-as-libre/
ME, PSP, FSP, etc containing firmware is not "open source" as binary
blobs perform the entire boot process with coreboot simply a wrapper layer.

For brand new computers the only real choices are POWER and (some) ARM.
All current IBM POWER systems are entirely owner controlled with no
hardware signing key enforcement and you can buy one starting at around
3K (comparable to an intel server system of equivalent cost).

if you want an x86-64 laptop the only choice is a 2013 FM2 processor (no
AMD PSP unlike FM2+) which is new enough to be useful (see coreboot on
the lenovo G505S)
For x86-64 desktops there is the KGPE-D16 and KCMA-D8 coreboot
motherboards which will work without blobs, which are both new enough to
be useful but not brand new.

[Grzesiek Chodzicki]

I just checked the Minifree website. Although the premise is really nice (firmware-free dual CPU workstation, server or laptop) the 6-month lead time, the price overhead and mediocre specs are a big turnoff. And, just like Purism did earlier, the price overhead makes it seem like privacy is a privilege of the rich.
Minifree's workstation configuration that comes the closest to my PC costs over twice as much with much slower CPU, slower RAM and slower SSD.

[Tai...@gmx.com]

Don't buy from minifree, they're overpriced just assemble it yourself
and get used cpu/ram.

The KGPE-D16 itself is around $400, or you could get a KCMA-D8 for $200
with one or two 4386 CPUs ($50) if you don't need uber performance.
I'd get a 6284SE if you are on a budget you can get em for around $100
otherwise the best CPU is a 6386SE for around $300.
https://www.coreboot.org/Board:asus/kgpe-d16

4386 is equivalent to a FX-8370E
6386SE is equivalent to two FX-8370E

You would be able to max out new games, combined with a quality GPU (I
recommend AMD so you can do easy IOMMU pass-through for graphics)

As I said purism is an overpriced quanta laptop, their laptops are not
at all libre even the ones that claim to have "coreboot" don't have any
open source hw init it is all done by binary blobs.