Using a trackpoint is much more comfortable for me than trackpad, any chance of keyboard with one?
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Agreed. I haved only ever used Lenovo ThinkPad (~20 years), for this specific reason!
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I have high hopes that in the future a trackpoint keyboard may be offered. I too am a long time Thinkpad user looking for a repairable modern laptop to upgrade to. The attitude framework seems to have as a company towards community innovation seems highly encouraging. I know that in terms of the configurable port modules they have stated they would like the community to develop more options in the future and I hope the same is true for the keyboards and other parts.
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3rd parties can make keyboards for Framework, right? Perhaps we need to bug @TEXkeyboard
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Wow those are some nice trackpoint keyboards! I recently bought a Unicomp model m with a trackpoint and it has been pretty decent although not as good of a trackpoint experience as an original.
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All the way here. A quality pointing stick (which seems to mean TrackPoint, though I’ve heard Fujitsu had some) is really critical to me. Because I’m a truly dedicated madman, I’ll forgo the trackpad entirely.
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Agreed. I came to Framework as a holdout from the ThinkPad T430, one of the last retail laptops to allow significant modification for end users and a laptop that allows a lot of mods. I definitely agree that, despite the fact that I have already purchased a framework laptop, I will need a TrackPoint to be a truly happy Framework girl.
I fully intend on going to r/thinkpad and telling them that I am leaving the ranks of ThinkPad users(since Lenovo has basically turned the ThinkPad line into high-end soldered e-waste), but I doubt most of them will come without a quality TrackPoint on their Framework laptop. It does have to be a TrackPoint, or a device of similar or better quality, because the “pointing sticks” on Dell Laptops are utter garbage.
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I can’t use a laptop without a trackpoint either and I never use the trackpad. But I strongly doubt that there will be such a keyboard available, because who will have the incentive to produce it for just such a niche product ? Besides, the lack of buttons above/below the trackpad would make actual work/typing on this machine not very pleasant.
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Consider me one more voice saying that TrackPoint is a requirement. I’m otherwise really excited about this thing.
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I’m assuming you are referring to the TrackPoint as the niche product, but that doesn’t really make sense grammatically which forces the question:
Are you suggesting that the Framework Laptop is a niche product?
If so, than, yes, it is not the most well known laptop in the world, but it is also a newcomer to a world of established giants that have done more to emulate a disposable camera than anything else, but that doesn’t make it niche. The company I work for is a Fortune 500 company and they are watching Framework for potential consideration as an alternative to the Dell fleet that currently powers their 26,000 employee workforce.
I’ll agree with you that very few in the general population have picketing in the streets for the right to repair, but that does not necessarily mean that it isn’t an extremely desirable product.
Also, yes, in it’s current iteration, the faceplate/keyboard don’t allow for the TrackPoint, but it could. And the design of this computer means that swapping out the components would be a fairly simple undertaking. I see no point in limiting feature requests and expressions of desire to the product before our eyes, when the very nature of it’s design is diametrically opposed to a WYSIWYG philosophy.
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Watching an interview with the CEO recently, where they got hands-on with the product, it occurred to me as well that a TrackPoint keyboard wouldn’t be a single part replacement, but two things gave me hope that we could see such a keyboard from a motivated hardware hacker:
- the ease with which they casually pulled the Framework apart and put it back together
- the marketplace concept for selling Framework-compatible hardware
Perhaps it could be as simple as a custom palm rest piece that houses a literal Lenovo keyboard.
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I too would love a trackpoint option.
I’ve been using thinkpads for years and this would be a huge selling point for me.
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Eventually someone may be able to design and release a keyboard with a trackpoint (and even a touchpad with buttons) on the Framework marketplace.
My assumption is that since said trackpoint and buttons aren’t very common on current laptops, this isn’t a high priority for the Framework team/company…
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Oh, for sure, this is extremely nichey.
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The thinkpad trackpoint keyboard is not some niche product. Lenovo’s thinkpad line would fail overnight if they got rid of it.
Framework would gain a lot of new customers if they offered a think-pad style keyboard. They are attracting Thinkpad users, and then showing them the door right away.
It doesn’t even need to be the 7-row old kind, as the newer island-style is quite popular still.
If the company won’t do it, then a third-party might. Either way, I won’t buy until I can use a good trackpoint keyboard with it.
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Yah, I’ve been using thinkpads for 20 years because of the trackpoint, and I can’t believe I just said 20 years.
I’ve already got this on pre-order regardless of the keyboard, it’s too much of an upgrade over my x230.
Hopefully, someone can pull off the trackpoint in 3.8 mm because it seems like there’s a long list of buyers.
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Was hanging out in Discord in ThinKeys chat. Someone suggested low-profile cherry switches, but they are 3.5mm in height. @Framework - what switches are you using in the keyboard?
And does anyone know the additional height that a keycap would add?
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