From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: kd4e Subject: Re: [Ham-Linux] Take ACER Off your Linux-Friendly List Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2009 15:46:20 -0500 Message-ID: <4A72069C.1080406@kd4e.com> References: <4A710CCA.7000907@kd4e.com> <4A726840.70408@woodfam.homedns.org> Reply-To: doc@kd4e.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-path: In-Reply-To: <4A726840.70408@woodfam.homedns.org> Sender: linux-hams-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format="flowed" To: dtx Cc: Ham-Linux , Linux Hams , ham-computers 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!