Linus Torvalds using M2 Macbook Air running Linux

[commiecam]

I agree absolutely with the idea that the motherboard follow some long-term standard form factor, perhaps identical to RockPro64 or Quartz, even the same board, but with the tall I/O sockets replaced with connectors for circuit tapes which would connect to case-mounted ports in order to reduce board height within the case.  The objection that newer boards would be much smaller  pales to insignificance when you realise how much of the interior of the PInebook Pro's case is already vacant real  estate. They can stay the same size, almost forever, because the space available is dictated by the size of the screen and keyboard, which dictate the form factor.  Vertically, there's little more height to be saved unless the cast magnesium case be made so thin that it becomes impossibly delicate.

I personally wouldn't want to buy a laptop that doesn't have Ethernet, HDMI and at least two USB-A ports.
If there were a way to break out those physical ports into a second board, that would make it easier to construct a laptop from the single board computer.
On the other hand, some laptops try to just push the main SBC to the edge and use the existing tall ports there.

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The Pinebook Pro (PBP) will likely never be the machine for Linus Torvalds. The PBP aims at a (relatively) low-cost developer market, whereas Linus has essentially an empty cheque book and the need for high quality. The PBP is unlikely to ever be a competitor for an Apple device - and that's okay.

Personally I want to see some standardization of the mainboard to either an Single Board Computer (SBC) or module, so that people are able to upgrade/maintain their machines. This would also greatly ease their current supply issues (some of which is for displays, etc).

I'd be willing to spend more if the quality were there e.g. if the CPU were based on a new faster Snapdragon.
Lenovo recently released the X13s which uses such a CPU.

For under ten bucks you can buy a USB2 or UB3 dock that's tiny, has wire ethernet, SD slots, USB2 ports and even HDMI.  Right now I'm cursing this 17" HP Elitebook because its SD socket, audio socket and ethernet socket are all either intermittent or dead and a few of the others feel physically loose..  A hundred or more bucks to get them replaced made no sense at all, so I bought a USB2 dock that does it all, and if it should die, I'll chuck it and buy another one.  Some stuff belongs in the box, but with numerous high speed ports on most laptops these days, even cheap ones, I'd rather keep the main box simple.