-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 The Tuesday 2008-09-09 at 15:31 +0200, Stephan Kulow wrote:
I haven't convinced anyone to actually use linux, in years, no matter how much I tried -- unless they were already convinced. Somethings are more important than the community, like things actually working without having to jump many loops.
Example: I'm trying to buy a color laser printer. HP boxes do not say whether linux work with them or not, and browsing their web page is useless if you search for this particular piece of info. So, a user might buy a printer and chance it, or simply use windows where he is sure that it will work and find support (from sales staff or any friend or neighbor, not "virtual", remote help).
HP has its own community: http://www.communities.hp.com/online/blogs/laserjet/archive/2008/07/16/did-y...
Thanks, but that proves my point, that you have to jump many loops just to use linux. With windows it is just plug and play (or so they claim). If I have problems I go for help to a neighbor or to the shop. With linux, I'm physically alone, there is nobody - except on the network. And the network is good enough for some people, but probably not for the majority. The printer (just an example of a piece of hardware) specifies in the box the many operating systems it supports, and linux is not there. If I browse the Spanish HP page with the printer specifications (1), linux is again not even mentioned. I have looked at several HP printers, and they never say "YES, this printer works with linux", even when it is known it does. It makes shopping for linux usage very difficult, which is my point. And this is a company that sponsors linux! (3) Why this perverse denial? I know that many people here will know of many other samples of companies refusing to say that their hardware work with linux. (1) <http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/es/es/ho/WF06a/18972-18972-3328060-3328070-3328070-3422465.html#null> <http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/es/es/ho/WF05a/18972-18972-3328060-3328070-3328070-3422474.html> <http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/es/es/ho/WF05a/18972-18972-3328060-3328070-3328070-1140734.html> Sistemas operativos de red compatibles Microsoft® Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Professional, Server 2003; preparada para Windows Vista®; Mac OS X v10.2.8, v10.3, v10.4 o superior Sistemas operativos compatibles Microsoft® Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Professional, Server 2003; preparada para Windows Vista®; Mac OS X v10.2.8, v10.3, v10.4 o superior (2) Linux is mentioned here (English brochure), just once (google found it): <http://h20195.www2.hp.com/PDF/4AA0-9484EEE.pdf> Operating systems compatibility Microsoft® Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Professional, Server 2003; Windows Vista® Ready; Mac OS X v10.2.8, v 10.3, v10.4 or higher Optional: OS/2, UNIX, Linux , Latest drivers for Windows® and Mac are available at http://www.hp.com/support/ljcp1510series Network operating systems compatibility Microsoft® Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Professional, Server 2003; Windows Vista® Ready; Mac OS X v10.2.8, v 10.3, v10.4 or higher , optional: Microsoft® Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Professional, XP Professional x64, XP Tablet PC, Server 2003 (32/64 bit), Windows Vista® Ready; Mac OS X v10.2.8, v10.3, v10.4 or higher And they have drivers: <http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=3422467&prodTypeId=18972&prodSeriesId=3422465&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=2020> (3) http://www.openprinting.org - -- Cheers, Carlos E. R. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.4-svn0 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFIxpYvtTMYHG2NR9URAkeTAJ98abLomLYQI8iBVlUhJHDHKCK++ACfTOe5 XbdtVIuVaiPWvt0fZ+6EXwM= =RN4c -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----