Alternative OSes

Framework Laptop 12
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Just received my laptop a week ago, while waiting for a NVME to arrive I tested two live OSes that I planned to install later.
The first one is CachyOS, an archlinux based distro. With a MicroSD, it works like a charm, the touch screen is recognized from the start.
The second one is HaikuOS, a descendant from BeOS. Worked without issue but for that one the touchscreen isn’t recognized.

I eventually got the NVME and I could install HaikuOS first then CachyOS second with the use of the rEFInd bootloader so I can select which one to boot at startup.

Now is the time to find a stylus as I plan to use that laptop for Gimp, Krita and Blender. I’m sure that its screen will end a load when it comes to texture painting.

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Good to hear. Does the autorotation of the screen work under CachyOs?

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I had to do add “MODULES=(pinctrl_tigerlake)” to /etc/mkinitcpio.conf and “sudo mkinitcpio -P” then reboot in CachyOS to fix it:

$ head -10 /etc/mkinitcpio.conf
# vim:set ft=sh
# MODULES
# The following modules are loaded before any boot hooks are
# run.  Advanced users may wish to specify all system modules
# in this array.  For instance:
#     MODULES=(usbhid xhci_hcd)
MODULES=(pinctrl_tigerlake)

# BINARIES
# This setting includes any additional binaries a given user may
$ sudo mkinitcpio -P
$ sudo reboot
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Found this on reddit. It’s very relevant to this discussion:

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Good on you for running Haiku! Whilst it has become increasingly popular as of late, with an increasingly fleshed-out library of native software, it also strikes me as likely a good companion for the little Framework with its smaller screen and lower power. The OS is so elegant, both in terms of GUI and underlying software architecture, it should be quite efficient to operate on the small format device.

Note there is a Haiku thread on the Framework forum already! Of course Haiku is not the only option for those looking for something not based on linux or windows…

Sculpt. Privacy focussed operating system from Germany. The developer, Genode labs, have a Framework in their testing fleet. Another OS well suited to smaller screened devices, it works on the MNT Pocket Reform and Pinephone.

9Front. Based on Plan9, Bell labs successor to Unix. It apparently has been made to work with some models of Framework: has anybody tried it on the 12” model?

There is also the BSDs, perhaps somebody can advise how well they work?