[Discuss] Open Source IPad Recommendations and a Laptop

[boumanmcc at mykolab.com (MC)]

Reviving this old topic and adding to it a new twist: a laptop.....so 
now I'm searching for 2 peripherals that will supplement my functioning 
base

Maybe I should start with the basics: the highest performing o/s I've 
worked with is (don't laugh) is W98SE because it had drivers written for 
it
for all kinds of equipment (which I own a lot of and must keep using), 
and the O/S operated in a crisp binary manner and accepted all open 
source software. Now that said, I am looking to bring in a simple, high 
functioning laptop that will allow me to install and reinstall both O/S 
and applications so I am not tied to a fence post with either Apple or 
Microsoft, neither of which is winning any popularity contests with 
anybody. I just want to keep functioning....at an efficient rate for the 
indefinite future.

Any other suggestions?

-------- Original Message --------

  		SUBJECT:
  		Re: [Discuss] Fwd: Open Source IPad Recommendations

  		DATE:
  		2022-12-18 17:27

  		FROM:
  		Rich Pieri <richard.pieri at gmail.com>

  		TO:
  		BLU Discuss <discuss at lists.blu.org>

On Sun, 18 Dec 2022 16:13:11 -0500
MC <boumanmcc at mykolab.com> wrote:

> What's the chance that there's an Ipad out there that supports an
> Open Source O/S?

Technically, iOS and iPadOS are partially open source. The XNU kernel
is Mach + FreeBSD and the user space is FreeBSD. What's closed is the
UI stuff on top.

> I need a new Ipad and don't want to be locked into an Apple or Dell
> that can't be upgraded. I also like cheap, so I can go legacy, as

If by "upgraded" you mean hardware? Nobody makes a tablet with hardware
upgrade capability. If you mean the OS, Apple are the best in the
space, typically supporting hardware for 5+ years. Most big name
Android vendors drop support within 1 to 2 years, and the cheap Chinese
manufacturers don't provide any support at all, and they don't comply
with the GPL's terms, and the build quality is garbage.

There's the Kindle Fire line but that stuff is designed around on-line
catalog sales and reading books and light video streaming.