The software debate

[Adrian_Joachim]

@Philam

Eh… so what is your point? Thread is completely valid and please note this is not a thread about first iteration of FW16 only. It is called “software debate” - software includes Intel XTU. Do people like to use it, or go for another one? Unless you really don’t like Intel XTU?

Don’t read too much into it, it’s just a light joke because running xtu on an amd system is relatively silly.

[Philam]

@Adrian_Joachim

on an amd system

Of course. But this is a forum. If you can’t ask silly questions, then when can you learn? When I started here it was you who informed me about oculink - before that I thought it was a cable for VR headsets. ;).

Just trying to make some threads where people are free to discuss what they want - without exceptions made by other users.

PS: I still don’t understand how people could categorise the world most upgrade focused laptop as “an amd system” just because the company starts with amd in the first iteration (I think a bit silly) but in any case, I guess my main point is that please, let people discuss intel here as well if they choose to.

[Pietro_Mele]

My configuration for my due to arrive FW16:

• Artix Linux (an exact copy of Arch, without SystemD). Nice not to have to format the SSD to remove an unwanted OS.
• LLVM C++ compiler (https://llvm.org).
• Rust compiler.
• KDE.
• SourceTrail (not developed anymore, but still a great product, similar to Doxygen).

[Cameron_Bosch]

@Pietro_Mele

Nice not to have to format the SSD to remove an unwanted OS.

Oh you don’t know half of my experience! Windows 11 has become so horrible even compared to Windows 10, that I dumped Windows entirely upon 11’s release and went straight to Linux full-time, eventually ending up on my current main OS EndeavourOS! Windows 11 copied KDE Plasma, no doubt about it.

[Pietro_Mele]

@Cameron_Bosch - I may have anticipated you. The last version of Windows I installed on my own computers was NT4 (1996). Then I switched to RedHat Linux 4. So, I had been conservative, I kept the same version number :')

[Philam]

Some people here apparently don’t know FW16 will have Intel CPUs, so sharing a survey here which makes it quite clear it’s not meant for AMD only… XD.

Just to make sure…

[Poll] CPU and GPU combinations

poll We’ll be sharing more details around the specs of Framework Laptop 16 when we open pre-orders, but we were interested in seeing what the community’s preferences are around CPUs and GPUs. There are (basically) two CPU and three GPU makers currently operating in the notebook market, which leads to six possible combinations. Let us know which combination you want most. The poll is in alphabetical order.

[BigT]

I don’t have a ton of software that I need/use on a regular basis, but I have a few givens:

OS of choice used to be Windows, but lately I’m trying to switch fully to Linux. On the FW 16, I was hoping to do a little video editing on it and the program I use doesn’t have a Linux version, so that’s a bummer. We’ll see. I may have to use Windows just for the video editor. If I decide not to use it for video editing, I’ll go with Fedora 39. For the rest of the software, I’ll assume Linux.

Word processor, typically LibreOffice Writer these days. Used to use Wordperfect (many years ago). Used Word for a short time, but I got annoyed at some of the changes/updates.

Gimp for some light photo editing.

Darktable for processing some RAW photos.

Fedora 39 GNOME has a good screenshot/snip tool, so I shouldn’t have to get one of those.

Steam. Not always a given on a laptop, but on the 16, I’ll definitely be trying some games, even if that’s not my main use.

Beyond that, everything else is kind of “as needed.” Maybe Audacity. Maybe OBS. Just depends. Beyond word processing and photo/video editing (and games, obviously), most stuff I need a laptop for is either web-based (so it’s all done in browser) or functionality built into or otherwise included in most operating systems, so it doesn’t require extra software.

[Zeppelins_Forever]

Planning to dual boot Fedora 39 (KDE) and Windows 10 Enterprise IoT LTSC. I will only upgrade to Win11 once its IoT LTSC iteration comes out

Fedora software (aside from KDE defaults):

• VLC
• OBS
• LibreWolf
• Ungoogled Chromium
• Wine
• WireShark
• VSCodium
• Kdenlive (might eventually learn DaVinci)
• Factorio (we’re counting games in the software list, right?)
• Audacity
• LocalSend
• QEMU
• neofetch
• Logseq Desktop
• Steam
• Session
• Jami
• OpenVPN
• KeePassXC
• GIMP
• GitHub Desktop
• Okular
• ProtonVPN
• qBittorrent
• Discord
• HexChat
• ytarchive, yt-dlp, and streamlink

Windows 10 software:

• Voidtools Everything (highly recommend this, especially their 1.5a version)
• W10Privacy
• O&OShutUp10
• WindowsSpyBlocker
• VLC (again)
• Windows PowerToys
• Adobe Photoshop
• Steam (again)
• Mostly games and apps that are a pain to run on Linux. Wine works great, except when it doesn’t.

[lane_ftw]

Can’t believe no one has mentioned hwinfo64.
A few notable utils
notepad++
MS terminal
localsend

[Vivian]

OS: Manjaro KDE(including pre bundled software)

Software:
Firefox(pre bundled)
KDE connect
Krita
Inkscape
Lightburn
Prusa Slicer
ADB Platform tools

Themes:
Colloid-Dark-Nord

[Jorg_Mertin]

@BigT

On the FW 16, I was hoping to do a little video editing on it and the program I use doesn’t have a Linux version, so that’s a bummer. We’ll see. I may have to use Windows just for the video editor. If I decide not to use it for video editing, I’ll go with Fedora 39. For the rest of the software, I’ll assume Linux.

Using KdenLive for all Viceo éditing I do. (RC Model airplanes and Diving stuff).

[Philam]

Seems VLC is really the player to go for

Glad to see the thread is going despite some people at the beginning not understanding the topic - which I guess is normal for an online forum.

[lane_ftw]

@Philam

Seems VLC is really the player to go for

If they ever release 4.0 we’ll have a native dark mode too!
Only another decade to wait I’m sure.

[yessikg]

I’m going to say GOG Galaxy instead of Steam, because then I can have all my games under one app.
Firefox, LibreOffice, VLC, Davinci Resolve, GIMP, and ffmpeg are my other must haves

[Adrian_Joachim]

@yessikg

I’m going to say GOG Galaxy instead of Steam, because then I can have all my games under one app.

Man I wish that stuff worked on linux anywhere near as well as steam

[Foxite]

@Adrian_Joachim

Man I wish that stuff worked on linux anywhere near as well as steam

I haven’t used it a whole lot, but Lutris is able to integrate a bunch of launchers (including Steam, Epic, Uplay and a few others) and also launch games from windows-exclusive launchers using Proton (or any custom wine setup) with a great number of customization features for individual game installs.

I’ve also heard of HeroLauncher which supposedly does the same thing, but I haven’t looked into it personally.

It might take some tinkering to get certain games running well. I wouldn’t expect Rockstar to make any attempt to make GTA run well in Proton, a product made by one of their competitors. Same goes for any non steam game.

I’ve only used Lutris to run Cyberpunk (as a non-steam game), which worked pretty well.

[Jorg_Mertin]

The problem I see coming with Windows like systems, is the commercials intrusiveness.
Look at Youtube. You watch something and you get some dumb stupid advertising every 10 minutes. Under Windows 11 we are not far away from that.
I definitely do not want Windows stopping me in-game to show me a stupid advertisement.

Nah - It will be Linux only, and if games, probably through Steam or Steam-Os Partition.

[Adrian_Joachim]

@Foxite

I haven’t used it a whole lot, but Lutris is able to integrate a bunch of launchers (including Steam, Epic, Uplay and a few others) and also launch games from windows-exclusive launchers using Proton (or any custom wine setup) with a great number of customization features for individual game installs.

Yeah through lutris it kinda works which is nice, but nowhere near as well as steam.

@Foxite

I’ve only used Lutris to run Cyberpunk (as a non-steam game), which worked pretty well.

Yeah cyberpunk is pretty much the only thing I have on gog, that one works through lutris just fine but it is still a lot less convenient than steam.

[Charlie_6]

@Jorg_Mertin

You watch something and you get some dumb stupid advertising every 10 minutes.

uBlock Origin is a must have

[Hugh_McKay]

On systems with an SSD I like to install the manufacturer’s SSD support software. For Samsung SSDs it is Samsung Magician, for Western Digital it is WD Dashboard. It will allow you to update the firmware, show the SMART data etc. On Windows systems I like to install CrystalDiskInfo which will alert you to problems, overheating, etc. on SSD and hard disks.