Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[Curt, WE7U]

On Wed, 29 Jul 2009, kd4e wrote:

> Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List.
>
> Their Acer Aspire 5535 laptop locks-out the wireless modem
> and Blue tooth from any access unless a MS version of window
> is installed.

The correct wording might be something like:  The Linux I installed
doesn't appear to support the wireless modem or bluetooth.  It
doesn't mean that the laptop locks-out those device unless MS
drivers are installed.  It just means that your drivers you're using
now, or the configuration for the drivers you're using now, doesn't
appear to work for you.

Have you tried Google for "acer aspire 5535 wireless"?  I get quite
a few hits on that.  You might find something of interest that would
work, as in changing drivers, changing your driver settings, or
installing a different version or brand of Linux.

Wireless and portable devices are often the hardest to get every
little thing working on under Linux.  Manufacturers often take
shortcuts in the hardware and/or change the circuit ever so slightly
compared to desktop units.  Often drivers don't handle these
differences unless some driver author specifically targets that
device.

Good luck!


> See Acer's "tough luck for you" reply below.

That sort of reply is normal for any company, sorry to tell you.  It
just means they don't have people hired and trained to support other
configurations than what they ship.  I'm surprised that it's a
surprise to you.

-- 
Curt, WE7U.                         <http://www.eskimo.com/~archer>
    APRS:  Where it's at!                    <http://www.xastir.org>
   Lotto:  A tax on people who are bad at math. - unknown
Windows:  Microsoft's tax on computer illiterates. - WE7U.
The world DOES revolve around me:  I picked the coordinate system!"

Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[kd4e]

Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List.

Their Acer Aspire 5535 laptop locks-out the wireless modem
and Blue tooth from any access unless a MS version of window
is installed.

See Acer's "tough luck for you" reply below.

Oh, they did offer to let me call their paid support - so they
could tell me the same thing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Response (Mary LincyKM) - 07/29/2009 07:34 PM

Having reviewed your e-mail I understand that you are facing
an issue using wireless with Linux.

As per our record the operating system shipped with the
system was Vista.

Please note that Acer does not support changing an Operating
System. Changing the Operating System may cause driver
conflicts. You have the option of upgrading or changing your
Operating System at your own discretion. However, it is
preferred that you keep to the original configuration of
your system so that all the programs and applications in
your computer will recognize all the hardware installed in it.

We are sorry to inform that we are unable to offer support
since you have changed the operating system.

Have a great day!

Respectfully,
Acer America
Online Technical Support
------------------------------------------------------------------------

-- 

Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
FS/Swap/Wanted: http://kd4e.com/swapn.html
Free OS : http://www.PuppyLinux.com
Personal: http://kd4e.com
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============\ # KD4E
Have an http://ultrafidian.com day!

Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[kd4e]

Actually, I have done those things, no thanks of any sort to 
Acer
whose policy is obviously to discourage Linux usage.

It would have been easy for Acer to make the identity of their
wireless nic and Bluetooth easily accessible to Linux - even if
they did not provide a driver - though they should have 
provided
a Linux driver. (How hard can that be?)  Instead, unlike other
computers and wireless nics theirs is almost "invisible" to 
Linux.

I have four laptops and one desktop here at the moment - 
only the
Acer is this Linux-unfriendly.  If it is not deliberate it 
is is gross
incompetence.  Volunteers write Linux drivers and corporations
cannot?  Sigh.

Finding and adapting drivers on your own time for hardware
sold for profit by a corporation is ones choice - holding Acer
accountable for being Linux-unfriendly may encourage them to
take a new look.

I will probably return the Acer later in the week and 
instead buy a
Samsung or Toshiba.  The choices of manufacturers need to have
consequences, or else they will not learn.

 > Curt, WE7U wrote:
> On Wed, 29 Jul 2009, kd4e wrote:
> 
>> Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List.
>>
>> Their Acer Aspire 5535 laptop locks-out the wireless modem
>> and Blue tooth from any access unless a MS version of window
>> is installed.
> 
> The correct wording might be something like:  The Linux I installed
> doesn't appear to support the wireless modem or bluetooth.  It
> doesn't mean that the laptop locks-out those device unless MS
> drivers are installed.  It just means that your drivers you're using
> now, or the configuration for the drivers you're using now, doesn't
> appear to work for you.
> 
> Have you tried Google for "acer aspire 5535 wireless"?  I get quite
> a few hits on that.  You might find something of interest that would
> work, as in changing drivers, changing your driver settings, or
> installing a different version or brand of Linux.
> 
> Wireless and portable devices are often the hardest to get every
> little thing working on under Linux.  Manufacturers often take
> shortcuts in the hardware and/or change the circuit ever so slightly
> compared to desktop units.  Often drivers don't handle these
> differences unless some driver author specifically targets that
> device.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> 
>> See Acer's "tough luck for you" reply below.
> 
> That sort of reply is normal for any company, sorry to tell you.  It
> just means they don't have people hired and trained to support other
> configurations than what they ship.  I'm surprised that it's a
> surprise to you.
> 

-- 

Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
FS/Swap/Wanted: http://kd4e.com/swapn.html
Free OS : http://www.PuppyLinux.com
Personal: http://kd4e.com
             |_|___|_|
             | | & | |
        /\      {|
       /  \     {|
      /    \    {|
     /   @  \   {|
     |   |~_|~~~~|
     |   -| |    |
============\ # KD4E
Have an http://ultrafidian.com day!

Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[kd4e]

Acer chooses with whom they sign contracts for sub-devices 
like wireless
nics.  If they had insisted on nics with Linux drivers they 
would have
received them.  Other companies have.  I already own 
Linux-friendly
b/g/n devices, so it is nothing bleeding-edge to do so.

There are drivers out there for Atheros b/g/n nics but I 
don't have the
time to chase them down and fuss with Alpha drivers - this 
laptop was
to be a productivity tool - right now it's a defective piece 
of hardware.

Since I told the salesman it was for Linux and was not 
warned it was
non-Linux compatible they will get it back.

Manufactures need to stop wasting the time of customers and 
give
us what we want - in this economy customers are getting 
harder to
find - and Linux use is growing like crazy.

 > Jeff Laughlin wrote:
> Vendors don't hate Linux, they just don't like it enough.
> 
> Usually wireless or other devices are unsupported by Linux because
> 1. Vendor doesn't care
> 2. Driver loads firmware or VHDL code or something at initialization 
> which the vendor has licensed from a 3rd party under restrictive terms
> 3. Vendor intentionally locks out FOSS drivers because of silly FCC 
> rules about frequency agility
> 
> It can be neigh on impossible to create clean room drivers based on 
> reverse engineering for stuff like that.
> 
> Anyway, while Acer is complicit, they are really just a middle man. It's 
> really the device vendor that is ultimately to blame.

-- 

Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
FS/Swap/Wanted: http://kd4e.com/swapn.html
Free OS : http://www.PuppyLinux.com
Personal: http://kd4e.com
             |_|___|_|
             | | & | |
        /\      {|
       /  \     {|
      /    \    {|
     /   @  \   {|
     |   |~_|~~~~|
     |   -| |    |
============\ # KD4E
Have an http://ultrafidian.com day!

Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[walter harms]

kd4e schrieb:
> Acer chooses with whom they sign contracts for sub-devices like wireless
> nics.  If they had insisted on nics with Linux drivers they would have
> received them.  Other companies have.  I already own Linux-friendly
> b/g/n devices, so it is nothing bleeding-edge to do so.
> 
> There are drivers out there for Atheros b/g/n nics but I don't have the
> time to chase them down and fuss with Alpha drivers - this laptop was
> to be a productivity tool - right now it's a defective piece of hardware.
> 
> Since I told the salesman it was for Linux and was not warned it was
> non-Linux compatible they will get it back.
> 
> Manufactures need to stop wasting the time of customers and give
> us what we want - in this economy customers are getting harder to
> find - and Linux use is growing like crazy.
> 

send it back because you can not use it
most people i know simply use a usb-stick (or a boot-cd)
and buy only computer that work.

re,
 wh

Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[richard.bown]

walter harms wrote:>
> 
> send it back because you can not use it
> most people i know simply use a usb-stick (or a boot-cd)
> and buy only computer that work.
> 
> re,
>  wh
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
Under European consumer law, if they haven't stated that it will only 
run winblows vista, they have stated by default it should operate on 
other OS s that will run on that processor.
So its not fit for purpose and they would have to either change it for 
one that will or refund your money.
I'd be very surprised if the US does not have similar legislation.


-- 
Best wishes

Richard Bown

#####################################################################
Registered Linux User 36561
OS: Mandriva 2009.1 x86_64, on AMD Dual Athlon 64 +4400: 8 GB RAM DDR2
Ham Call: G8JVM , QRA IO82SP, Interests Microwave
####################################################################

Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[Nate Bargmann]

* kd4e <doc@kd4e.com> [2009 Jul 29 22:12 -0500]:

> Manufactures need to stop wasting the time of customers and give
> us what we want - in this economy customers are getting harder to
> find - and Linux use is growing like crazy.

Don't forget that for all the progress and inroads Linux has made, new
OEM installs are still very much a world governed by MS contracts.  That
has not changed nor will it change for some time.  The smaller a
manufacturer is, the more beholden to MS they will be since their
bottom line depends mostly on the deal they can cut with MS.

If you really want Linux compatible hardware in a laptop, then a Lenovo
Thinkpad would be my first choice.

Yes, your experience is maddening.  No, even in 2009 it is hardly
surprising since MS has been quietly working behind the scenes to make
hardware Windows only for years.

Good luck on your next purchase.

73, de Nate >>

-- 

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all
possible worlds.  The pessimist fears this is true."

Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://n0nb.us/index.html

Re: [Ham-Linux] Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[match]

On 29 Jul 2009 at 22:55, kd4e wrote:

> Actually, I have done those things, no thanks of any sort to 
> Acer
> whose policy is obviously to discourage Linux usage.

Maybe so, and maybe no. 

I think more likely, since Linux is such a minor player, why bother? What 
percentage of the OS market does Linux own, something like 0.3%? (yeah, I 
knoww... it's growing. But Linux is not even close to becoming a threat)

And, as others have pointed out, every decision has a downside. Writing 
Linux drivers is not going to increase Acers sales enough to warrant the 
expenditure, and it would threaten their relationship with Microsoft, who is 
their REAL bread and butter.

So, you won't buy another Acer. Niether will I. And we are not even a blip on 
Acers sales radar.

Marvin
KA7TPH

RE: [Ham-Linux] Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[Robert Eliassen]

Marvin, KA7TPH, wrote:

> So, you won't buy another Acer. Niether will I. And we are not even a blip
on Acers sales radar.

Well, after reading this I'm pretty sure I'll never buy an Acer. How many
other readers on this list would agree? Soon someone blogs about Acer and
how it doesn't fit Linux very well. The snowball is on the move. When
journalists starts writing about this issue, things are getting really bad
for Acer.

Buy an Acer if you're absolutely sure you would never install Linux on it.
Now, the vast majority are using Windows, but many Windows users would never
say they'll stick to Windows for the rest og their lives...

Cheers!

Bob
LA6GHA

Re: [Ham-Linux] Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[F8arr]

And we don't talk about the poor support (Linux or original Windows)

Hi!
F8arr

Envoyé de mon téléphone.

Le 30 juil. 2009 à 17:23, "Robert Eliassen" <robel@vktv.no> a écrit :

>
> Marvin, KA7TPH, wrote:
>
>> So, you won't buy another Acer. Niether will I. And we are not even  
>> a blip
> on Acers sales radar.
>
> Well, after reading this I'm pretty sure I'll never buy an Acer. How  
> many
> other readers on this list would agree? Soon someone blogs about  
> Acer and
> how it doesn't fit Linux very well. The snowball is on the move. When
> journalists starts writing about this issue, things are getting  
> really bad
> for Acer.
>
> Buy an Acer if you're absolutely sure you would never install Linux  
> on it.
> Now, the vast majority are using Windows, but many Windows users  
> would never
> say they'll stick to Windows for the rest og their lives...
>
> Cheers!
>
> Bob
> LA6GHA
>
> --
> To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux- 
> hams" in
> the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
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Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[walter harms]

kd4e schrieb:
> I don't give up quite that easily - but Acer should not be off the hook for
> being so lazy and unhelpful toward Linux users.
> 

goto tuxmobil.org
add a section Acer Aspire 5535

say: no way since prop. driver are needed, what ever happend to you.

tuxmobil is the major source for people interessted in buying a notebook,
it has good google ranking, etc. that hurts.

re,
 wh

> 
>>> Acer chooses with whom they sign contracts for sub-devices like wireless
>>> nics.  If they had insisted on nics with Linux drivers they would have
>>> received them.  Other companies have.  I already own Linux-friendly
>>> b/g/n devices, so it is nothing bleeding-edge to do so.
>>>
>>> There are drivers out there for Atheros b/g/n nics but I don't have the
>>> time to chase them down and fuss with Alpha drivers - this laptop was
>>> to be a productivity tool - right now it's a defective piece of
>>> hardware.
>>>
>>> Since I told the salesman it was for Linux and was not warned it was
>>> non-Linux compatible they will get it back.
>>>
>>> Manufactures need to stop wasting the time of customers and give
>>> us what we want - in this economy customers are getting harder to
>>> find - and Linux use is growing like crazy.
>>>
>>
>> send it back because you can not use it
>> most people i know simply use a usb-stick (or a boot-cd)
>> and buy only computer that work.
>>
>> re,
>>  wh
> 

Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[kd4e]

I don't give up quite that easily - but Acer should not be 
off the hook for
being so lazy and unhelpful toward Linux users.


>> Acer chooses with whom they sign contracts for sub-devices like wireless
>> nics.  If they had insisted on nics with Linux drivers they would have
>> received them.  Other companies have.  I already own Linux-friendly
>> b/g/n devices, so it is nothing bleeding-edge to do so.
>>
>> There are drivers out there for Atheros b/g/n nics but I don't have the
>> time to chase them down and fuss with Alpha drivers - this laptop was
>> to be a productivity tool - right now it's a defective piece of hardware.
>>
>> Since I told the salesman it was for Linux and was not warned it was
>> non-Linux compatible they will get it back.
>>
>> Manufactures need to stop wasting the time of customers and give
>> us what we want - in this economy customers are getting harder to
>> find - and Linux use is growing like crazy.
>>
> 
> send it back because you can not use it
> most people i know simply use a usb-stick (or a boot-cd)
> and buy only computer that work.
> 
> re,
>  wh

-- 

Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
FS/Swap/Wanted: http://kd4e.com/swapn.html
Free OS : http://www.PuppyLinux.com
Personal: http://kd4e.com
             |_|___|_|
             | | & | |
        /\      {|
       /  \     {|
      /    \    {|
     /   @  \   {|
     |   |~_|~~~~|
     |   -| |    |
============\ # KD4E
Have an http://ultrafidian.com day!

Re: [Ham-Linux] Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[Mike McCarthy, W1NR]

It is likely that the wireless card is too new to be recognized. 
Eventually, it will probably get Linux support, even for the Linux
unfriendly cards by Broadcom.

As for there support, usually, if they can't get the script on their
teleprompter, then they can't help you and M$ gets all the support $ and
Linux gets crap.

Try another distro or blow off Acer and get a Dell.

Mike, W1NR

dtx wrote:
> Well, I don't have Aspire 5535, but I do have an Aspire one series,
> the little 2.2 lb laptop.  It installed Mepis current and had no
> trouble with the wifi.  However, Puppy current was not happy.  I doubt
> they go to the trouble to actually "lock out" the wireless
> hardware....they simply do not offer to support it.
>
> It sounds like you just got the standard tech support response of "We
> do care at all about anything exccpt  M$" which has been standard for
> years.  Only just very recently have you been able to get Linux (BSD
> or any other OS) installed on a store bought system.
>
> What system were you installing?  Did you try any other version than
> your favorite distro?
>
> Gary WA6DTX
>
> kd4e wrote:
>> Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List.
>>
>> Their Acer Aspire 5535 laptop locks-out the wireless modem
>> and Blue tooth from any access unless a MS version of window
>> is installed.
>>
>> See Acer's "tough luck for you" reply below.
>>
>> Oh, they did offer to let me call their paid support - so they
>> could tell me the same thing.
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Response (Mary LincyKM) - 07/29/2009 07:34 PM
>>
>> Having reviewed your e-mail I understand that you are facing
>> an issue using wireless with Linux.
>>
>> As per our record the operating system shipped with the
>> system was Vista.
>>
>> Please note that Acer does not support changing an Operating
>> System. Changing the Operating System may cause driver
>> conflicts. You have the option of upgrading or changing your
>> Operating System at your own discretion. However, it is
>> preferred that you keep to the original configuration of
>> your system so that all the programs and applications in
>> your computer will recognize all the hardware installed in it.
>>
>> We are sorry to inform that we are unable to offer support
>> since you have changed the operating system.
>>
>> Have a great day!
>>
>> Respectfully,
>> Acer America
>> Online Technical Support
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>   
>
> -- 
> To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-hams" in
> the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
> More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
>

Re: [Ham-Linux] Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[kd4e]

Puppy has a version optimized for the Acer Netbook - 
designed by
volunteers - not Acer.

As for the model: 5535 ...

I have succssfully gotten Puppy Linux to run on three old 
Panasonic
Toughbooks using external USB and USB-via-PCMCIA devices -
but these are not current laptops.

I also have had Linux running on an older Quanta Z500 with an
added wireless mini-pci card and on a desktop with a pci b/g/n
card.

The point is that *Acer* could not be bothered to be helpful to
a buyer who preferred Linux over MS.

They are free to make that choice and I am free to warn 
people that
such is their bad attitude toward Linux users.

 >> Their Acer Aspire 5535 laptop locks-out the wireless modem
 >> and Bluetooth from any access unless a MS version of window
 >> is installed.

I was not able to even "see" the wireless modem and 
Bluetooth because
the "ON" switches for them is in a separate sub-panel which 
is bonded
to the Acer-specific MS-dependent OS.

When I re-partitioned the HDD I first left all four default 
partitions in
place - I just shrunk them - which for no good technological 
reason
caused the laptop to refuse to boot -- and the wireless and 
Bluetooth
buttons dead.

I then deleted the MS-specific petitions but left the 
Acer-specific partition
intact -- which also left the wireless and Bluetooth buttons 
dead.

It's kind of a ridiculous design choice copied from HP.

I finally found a Linux app that discovered that the 
wireless modem is
an Atheros, but not the model number.  The Bluetooth is 
still incognito.

They could have made their hardware information more accessible
through the BIOS or a OS-neutral app but they did not.  It 
is not this
hard on any other PC I have ever used.  If it's not 
deliberate it is inept.

> Well, I don't have Aspire 5535, but I do have an Aspire one series, the 
> little 2.2 lb laptop.  It installed Mepis current and had no trouble 
> with the wifi.  However, Puppy current was not happy.  I doubt they go 
> to the trouble to actually "lock out" the wireless hardware....they 
> simply do not offer to support it.
> 
> It sounds like you just got the standard tech support response of "We do 
> care at all about anything exccpt  M$" which has been standard for 
> years.  Only just very recently have you been able to get Linux (BSD or 
> any other OS) installed on a store bought system.
> 
> What system were you installing?  Did you try any other version than 
> your favorite distro?
> 
> Gary WA6DTX
-- 

Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
FS/Swap/Wanted: http://kd4e.com/swapn.html
Free OS : http://www.PuppyLinux.com
Personal: http://kd4e.com
             |_|___|_|
             | | & | |
        /\      {|
       /  \     {|
      /    \    {|
     /   @  \   {|
     |   |~_|~~~~|
     |   -| |    |
============\ # KD4E
Have an http://ultrafidian.com day!

Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[Nate Bargmann]

* richard.bown@blueyonder.co.uk <richard.bown@blueyonder.co.uk> [2009 Jul 30 07:16 -0500]:
> walter harms wrote:>
>>
>> send it back because you can not use it
>> most people i know simply use a usb-stick (or a boot-cd)
>> and buy only computer that work.
>>
>> re,
>>  wh
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
> Under European consumer law, if they haven't stated that it will only  
> run winblows vista, they have stated by default it should operate on  
> other OS s that will run on that processor.
> So its not fit for purpose and they would have to either change it for  
> one that will or refund your money.
> I'd be very surprised if the US does not have similar legislation.

Prepare to be surprised, then.  There may be a state or two with
something similar in law, but I doubt it.  As most USA computer users
really don't understand that the OS and applications can be separate
from the hardware, there is hardly a demand for any sort of similar
legislation except from the fringes (like us).

73, de Nate >>

-- 

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all
possible worlds.  The pessimist fears this is true."

Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://n0nb.us/index.html

Re: [Ham-Linux] Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[dtx]

Well, I don't have Aspire 5535, but I do have an Aspire one series, the 
little 2.2 lb laptop.  It installed Mepis current and had no trouble 
with the wifi.  However, Puppy current was not happy.  I doubt they go 
to the trouble to actually "lock out" the wireless hardware....they 
simply do not offer to support it.

It sounds like you just got the standard tech support response of "We do 
care at all about anything exccpt  M$" which has been standard for 
years.  Only just very recently have you been able to get Linux (BSD or 
any other OS) installed on a store bought system.

What system were you installing?  Did you try any other version than 
your favorite distro?

Gary WA6DTX

kd4e wrote:
> Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List.
>
> Their Acer Aspire 5535 laptop locks-out the wireless modem
> and Blue tooth from any access unless a MS version of window
> is installed.
>
> See Acer's "tough luck for you" reply below.
>
> Oh, they did offer to let me call their paid support - so they
> could tell me the same thing.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Response (Mary LincyKM) - 07/29/2009 07:34 PM
>
> Having reviewed your e-mail I understand that you are facing
> an issue using wireless with Linux.
>
> As per our record the operating system shipped with the
> system was Vista.
>
> Please note that Acer does not support changing an Operating
> System. Changing the Operating System may cause driver
> conflicts. You have the option of upgrading or changing your
> Operating System at your own discretion. However, it is
> preferred that you keep to the original configuration of
> your system so that all the programs and applications in
> your computer will recognize all the hardware installed in it.
>
> We are sorry to inform that we are unable to offer support
> since you have changed the operating system.
>
> Have a great day!
>
> Respectfully,
> Acer America
> Online Technical Support
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>   

Re: [Ham-Linux] Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[kd4e]

OK, went ahead and tried Fatdog 112 and it handles the 
Atheros wireless-n with ath9k.

The Acer Aspire 5535 is working OK under Puppy.

-- 

Thanks! & 73, doc, KD4E
FS/Swap/Wanted: http://kd4e.com/swapn.html
Free OS : http://www.PuppyLinux.com
Personal: http://kd4e.com
             |_|___|_|
             | | & | |
        /\      {|
       /  \     {|
      /    \    {|
     /   @  \   {|
     |   |~_|~~~~|
     |   -| |    |
============\ # KD4E
Have an http://ultrafidian.com day!

Re: Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List

[Stef Daniels VK5HSX]

Greetings,

kd4e wrote:
> Actually, I have done those things, no thanks of any sort to Acer
> whose policy is obviously to discourage Linux usage.

This is to their own detriment !!

You have other manufacturers who have embraced Linux on various systems 
with success.  Their loss!!  Bye bye !!

> It would have been easy for Acer to make the identity of their
> wireless nic and Bluetooth easily accessible to Linux - even if
> they did not provide a driver - though they should have provided
> a Linux driver. (How hard can that be?)  Instead, unlike other
> computers and wireless nics theirs is almost "invisible" to Linux.

There are loads of other options out there, whose devices work fine.

> I have four laptops and one desktop here at the moment - only the
> Acer is this Linux-unfriendly.  If it is not deliberate it is is gross
> incompetence.  Volunteers write Linux drivers and corporations
> cannot?  Sigh.

It is showing that they are putting their head in the sand !!

sort of "...nah, nah, ....not listening !!"

> Finding and adapting drivers on your own time for hardware
> sold for profit by a corporation is ones choice - holding Acer
> accountable for being Linux-unfriendly may encourage them to
> take a new look.
> 
> I will probably return the Acer later in the week and instead buy a
> Samsung or Toshiba.  The choices of manufacturers need to have
> consequences, or else they will not learn.

Will see what happens.. perhaps their reasons are a certain request from 
a software company for this to happen.
-- 
Regards,

Stef Daniels (VK5HSX)            QRA-Loc: PF94gv
Amateur Radio Station            Email:  vk5hsx@gmail.com
Adelaide, Sth Australia          AX25:  VK5HSX@VK5TTY.#ADL.#SA.AUS.OC
Member: South Coast ARC Inc.     Website: http://www.scarc.org.au
Member: Wireless Inst. of Aust.  Website: http://www.wia.org.au

Debian GNU\Linux User            Website: http://www.au.debian.org