[tlinux-users:08841] Re: Official Linux support (Was: P105-9722 issues..)

Probably a little bit off-topic.

--- Thomas Charron <[email protected]> wrote:

>  Utter and total lack of followup support.  Even this
> mailing list, I see no support coming from Toshiba, just
> users of the list.

Pretty much every laptop maker will only officially support
the software that came with the computer (and any Vista
express downgrades that may be offered) and if you want to
use anything else you are on your own.

If you want support from the seller for running Linux on a
laptop then you will need to find someone that will sell
you a laptop with a Linux distribution pre-installed (there
are companies that take major brand laptops and put Linux
on them and there are a few no name companies that sell
generic laptops with Linux on them).  It's not just Linux,
those running *BSD, BeOS or even a version of Windows
different to what came with their laptop (or even a hacked
version of MacOS X) are in the same situation as we are all
in.

Widespread market demand (i.e. major purchasing decisions
being decided upon Linux support) is really about the only
thing that will change that (remember than Toshiba is a
business and that if providing support for Linux users
costs them money without bringing them any extra users then
they aren't going to be willing to pay much for it, that's
why we get a web site and mailing list run by people who
probably have other things to do and are doing the
administration of the web site and mailing list when they
have time available).

>   Some specifications for older laptops was released at
> http://linux.toshiba-dme.co.jp/linux/index.htm to their
> defense.

They still seem to be using those in some of their recent
laptops (though not all, probably nothing in the consumer models).


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