I am wondering about the plans to make the main logic board schematic and the board view files available to enable anyone to repair it. Will they be released?
To give some context, this is about the right to repair your device. If you search on Youtube for Louis Rossmann, he could explain this better than I. The gist is that many times when the laptop breaks, it’s something on the logic board. Sometimes it can be a two cent component that anyone with the multimeter and good soldering skills can replace. To make that easy, you need a schematic that details voltage rails, components, and their values. Also, a board view file where you can see the exact location of the component on the board.
In the case of most manufacturers, including Apple, this information is not officially released. Still, it gets stolen, leaked, and makes its way onto the internet and to the repair shops.
Thanks for bringing up this important point @Jack1. To give another data point, openly supporting right to repair through schematics and open communication would eliminate any hesitation I have about investing in this system. I’m equally enthused about the hack-ability/community aspect of the extendable ports.
Be aware that a multimeter and good soldering skills does not mean you can actually repair a modern laptop circuit board, which has a lot of high-density, surface-mounted (SMT) components. You cannot find logic fails without a 'scope, and you cannot replace SMTs with a typical soldering iron.
@Ian_Darwin I think it’s more that a professional can easily and affordably do it, not that most people are going to be able to do board-level repairs.
But yes, supporting right to repair openly would be awesome! I also think doing that could get the product on the radar of people who are fighting for it, which is free publicity. Additionally, it would support their case that it’s not impossible or unreasonable to make repairable devices as big tech companies are claiming.
I would add that even if the device owner doesn’t want to repair his device due to a lack of skills or equipment or for any other reason, schematics should still be available to those who want and can do the repair.
If something on that motherboard breaks, getting a replacement board by mail can take a couple of weeks. If you use your laptop for work, two weeks is unacceptable. You’d have to buy a new laptop.
On the other hand, even in a small town, you could find someone who’s good with electronics and who could attempt to fix the board. It could take a day or two instead of two weeks.
Another point is the cost. A replacement motherboard will cost more than hiring someone to diagnose the issue for a couple of hours and solder a replacement capacitor.
Having schematics and the board view files available gives a customer more repairability options and would make this product much more desirable.
I am passionate about the Framework laptop for a number if reasons. Finally there’s a laptop on the horizon that is relatively sustainable, encourages me to repair it myself and lets me upgrade core components.
I am absolutely amazed by how easily repairable your laptop appears to be on a component level for anybody who can hold a screw driver. But that is not true repairability. That is replaceability.
Repairability includes the documentation for advanced users to repair broken components by identifying and replacing soldered parts like SMDs. So my question is:
Will you make board schematics available?
If not right now, will you consider doing so after a certain amount of time?
Full agreement here.
I never even considered that the schematics would not be made available with a project like this. That would indeed be a major reason not to buy a framework laptop.
Sadly manufacturers not publishing board schematics is the norm. Especially for laptops most schematics were leaked by employees or contractors and it’s a true shame that we have to rely on people beakibeaking contracts or the law just to repair something we paid for.
I still hope Framework will come through and be better than the rest but I have my doubts. They probably worked with third parties designing some of the components (for example with Intel on the mainboard) and are contractually bound so can’t publish schematics.
But one can at least hope. A clear statement with reasons for their decision is the absolute minimum I expect otherwise their use of the Right to Repair branding is hollow.
I also want an answer to this. I was very excited when first learning about this project and seeing that they were planning to release documentation and schematics for the expansion cards; major major win. I kind of assumed that was going to extend to the rest of the computer, and I would be very disappointed if it’s not the case.
Making a fully open laptop that is this serviceable and upgradeable is amazing, but I am a major supporter of open hardware so I want to see that happen. If it does, I can see myself being a very happy and loyal customer for MANY years to come.
I’m pretty sure the big problem is who has the right to release those schematics? Framework itself might not be (and probably isn’t) the sole holder to that right, chips are manufactured by 3rd parties.
This is a necessity for me to switch to the framework platform.
If the right-to-repair really is a core ideal for the company making the board schematics available is a requirement, otherwise its not any different than other proprietary laptops.
Glad to see the announcement!
Will I as a Framework laptop owner who might want to do my own board-level repairs be able to sign the waiver/form to receive the schematics and drawings, or is this limited to repair shops?
Is it limited to repair shops? Why can’t anyone download and have a full repair manual? Mr. Carlson (yt: Mr Carlson’s Lab) says that it was once the norm for circuit diagrams to be included on the product.