FreeBSD The Power to Serve

Laptop and Desktop Work Group (LDWG)

Links:
Desktop mailing list URL: https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-desktop/
Wiki Page URL: https://wiki.freebsd.org/LaptopDesktopWorkingGroup

Contact: Chris Moerz <freebsd@ny-central.org>

October 2024 marked the inception of the Laptop and Desktop Work Group (LDWG), affectionately known as "Ludwig". This initiative provides a collaborative platform for the community to engage in development, testing, knowledge exchange, and advocacy for FreeBSD on laptops and desktops. Everyone is welcome to join, if interested.

Scope of Work:

  • Content Creation: Develop recordings, articles, tutorials, documentation, and system configurations for stakeholders interested in FreeBSD on laptops and desktops.

  • Encouraging Contributions: Invite developers, testers, and industry experts to enhance the usability of FreeBSD on laptops and desktops.

  • Facilitating Collaboration: Promote code contributions, testing initiatives, operational support, and hardware insights.

  • Supporting User Stories and Ongoing Projects: Assist in the creation, validation, prioritization, and delivery of user stories identified in the FreeBSD Foundation’s “Laptop” investment work package.

On November 16, 2024, the LDWG held its inaugural virtual meeting. The strong interest in FreeBSD for laptops and desktops was evident from the diverse group of participants, including developers, contributors, Discord community moderators, users, and FreeBSD Foundation members. Meeting slides, minutes, and recordings are available on the Group’s wiki page.

During the meeting, the group identified prioritized gaps and potential improvements in the following areas:

  • Console

  • Desktop Environment

  • Documentation

  • Hardware

    • Graphics

    • Wireless (WiFi and Bluetooth)

    • USB/Thunderbolt

  • Installer

  • Performance

  • Software and Port Availability

All activities are documented on the Group’s worksheet. The Group encourages anyone interested in contributing to add their name. If there is any planned or ongoing work, please include it in the worksheet.

Alice Sowerby provided an update on the The Foundation’s Laptop project, highlighting the need for volunteers to support testing efforts.

The Group is running an online survey to gather input from non-participants. The survey will remain open until the next call in January, where results will be presented and discussed.

Hope to see you there!

Last modified on: February 26, 2025 by Lorenzo Salvadore