[rqtwteye]

I don’t know System 76’s business numbers but after owning of their devices I would much prefer if they worked on their hardware versus creating a desktop manager. This seems like a giant distraction away from their real business. And their devices definitely could improve a lot vs other brands.

[panick21_]

System76 has always work on both software and hardware. The from the beginning have done much work in firmware and drivers, and increasingly up the stack. Creating PopOS as Ubuntu with up to date hardware support. And then increasingly listing to their users on what improvments they can make. This lead to early gnome extension and then the gnome shell.

At the same time they have invested a lot in hardware as well. Their own case, their own mechanical keyboards. They are doing thab because they want to make their own laptop eventually.

They want to be a more open Apple, with a great hardware and software story. It just a much longer path to get there.

[akdev1l]

Since they announced this I have been wondering how their engineering department can justify the investment to their finance department.

The only angle I see is that they believe having their own DE will help them sell more laptops. That seems like crazy assumption to me because if someone likes the DE they can just install it on their existing laptop or buy a non-System76 laptop and install it there.

[panick21_]

Well the company is own by a person who is invovled with both and he started the company to move forward the open ecosystem of software and hardware.

Could be invested better. Maybe, maybe not.

In terms of marketing, this certainy has gotten their name out there. Between PopOS and Cosmic they are becoming known globally in the whole linux world. Every single linux influencer has been reporting on this. PopOS is an often recommended distro.

Would it be better to buy google ads. Maybe in the short term. But the money would go towards their overall goal.

In the long term being the company know to be behind the best open hardware and open software projects seems like a better strategy.

[WD-42]

I've only become interested in buying System76 hardware since they released the DE. Simply because I know it will be the best experience for it and the purchase will go towards funding development of Cosmic.

[uhtred]

What's wrong with their hardware? I bought a desktop from them and it's rock solid, literally frozen on me once and that was probably a gnome bug and nothing to do with the hardware.

I think if they can supply there hardware with a smooth and modern desktop they will have an amazing product.