[Ham-Computers] 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!