System76 gained some popularity from the frustration about the latest MBP, so i guess this is their response to that.
I don't really buy the text about their vision and goals though, in the past they have not really been well known for great build quality or good design. They basically sold pre-installed Linux on rebranded chinese laptops.
Their new goals are ambitious and sound too ambitious but i wish them best of luck.
I am quite happy with my 2016 MBP, by no means perfect, but my overall Mac experience did not change that much.
Right now the biggest thing that they have going for them is a fairly well known brand in the market, which is a big deal considering who they are up against. It's a real growth opportunity if they can really differentiate themselves with a quality experience.
One of the most well executed marketing stunts ever seen must be the "Powered by Ubuntu Linux" stickers that System76 provided back in the day when your OS was still relevant and people thought Ubuntu would be the next big thing in the desktop/laptop space.
I have personally learned so much from that experience that it is very difficult to overlook when thinking of brand hacks.
I am quite happy with my 2016 MBP, by no means perfect, but my overall Mac experience did not change that much.