Framework Q&A - Our first ever live community Q&A with the Framework team

Framework Team
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Hi team! I think framework is a really great laptop and I am interested in its future.

Framework has disproportionately attracted enthusiasts/Linux users who care about repairable, upgradable and open hardware. More mainstream customers care about CPU/GPU/ram/screen/keyboard quality per dollar by sticker price, on which competing brands operating at larger scales are able to outcompete framework. A challenge to overcome in having framework appeal to a wider audience will be convincing people that they should instead be evaluating the total cost of ownership, which will be better on framework laptops (longer lifespan by replacing/repairing/upgrading parts).

Do you agree with the above premise, especially the part regarding widening frameworks appeal to a more mainstream audience?

Thanks

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23

Hi!!
Have you guys considered recycling old products consumers may not need anymore?

I think it could be economically viable depending on how much can be salvaged and profited. Hopefully, it does not cause a deficit that would otherwise not be possible.

I might suggest incentivizing the consumers to send Framework electronic products (for salvaging) in exchange for discounts when buying a new one.
(Win-win for both Framework and customers.)

I hope this would be viable! No more e-waste!!

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How many units have you sold?

What involvement has Linus Sebastian had since his investment?

Is there anything about your future plans you can share, other than expanding availability to new countries?

What was the single greatest challenge with the hardware design?

What has been the most surprising thing you have seen people do with the Framework or its parts?

How did the actual public interest & sales since launch, compare to your projections pre launch?

Is there any feature you wanted to include but couldn’t, and if so, why not?

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25

Can BIOS updates and driver validation be more detailed/open about what the team is working on?
Such as:
What’s currently being worked on
What we’d like to work on
What we’re not working on
The why behind each of these would be helpful and insightful.

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26

I am curious about the design compromises made in product development for the battery size, plausibly one of the toughest topics for the framework laptop with some ultrabook competitors offering double the useful battery life.

In the enthusiast DIY community, I could see a few people sacrificing the bottom facing external speaker modules for a larger battery stretching the entire front of the laptop. Eliminating the visual thinning of the floor pan at the front corners in the style more like a macbook pro than air would increase the space for a battery substantially, but might reduce torsional rigidity. How many units would such an option for a compatible floor pan design and battery need to ship via the marketplace to make it feasible?

Speakers might even fit into the long screen hinge, in the style of a lenovo Yoga 930C. A foldable version would obviously be the dream.

Edit:
Reading this again, I seem to be conplaining, why your product doesn’t hit all the points on my personal wish list. Your team will have considered all the ideas that a member of the public like myself could come up on the spot, already.

I am actually and genuinely more interested into the thoughts and sweat that went into tackling the different design, engineering and production challenges. Youtube channels like munro live give actual industry insight that is usually unreachable for us normal people and from their hiring spree seems to have raised the profile of their company, too. I’d be curious, how much community input will be possible, when you update your product, considering the form factor will have to stay largely compatible.

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We’re live in 5 minutes! Please join us via https://youtu.be/FODGjeOT178 for the Q&A!

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