Re: Third-Party Vendors

Daniel C. von Asmuth wrote:

>This is simply not true: Linux works with a vast array 
>of hardware and there is a lot of software available for it.
>Windows '98 and XP are about the only OSes (among many 
>thousands of alternatives) which are even better supported
>than Linux. (did you try ChorusOS or Amoeba?)
>

Yes, Linux works with a vast array of hardware:
but that's thanks to the elite among the Linux
users, *not* to the vendors who *manufacture* the
hardware. On the other hand, with Windows the
vendors often *do* help by writing the drivers
themselves. (Without that, Micro$oft probably
wouldn't survive.)



>>For example, if you buy a new device (like a printer, a
>>scanner, or even a sound-card) chances are the device will
>>come with a CD-ROM, and on that CD-ROM will be the Windows
>>driver for the device and maybe a MacOS driver. It's very
>>unlikely, and as far as I know unheard-of, to find a
>>Linux driver on this CD-ROM.
>>
>
>It is rare, but it happens. In a couple of years, Linux may
>get equal support from hardware vendors.
>

So you say it's rare, but it happens. That's good news.
It's something to start with. Maybe if someone can keep
a list somewhere on the Internet of manufacturers who
do this and of the products they do this for, then
community-minded Linux users can try to reward those
vendors by giving them preferential treatment next time
they're looking for new hardware.

>>I, for example, don't think I can find *any* scanner
>>on the shelves at stores that will work with Linux.
>>
>
>Sane works really well with a fairly long list of scanners.
>
I do not doubt it. But how many of those scanners
are still available on the shelves in stores? I
would imagine that most (if not all) you would have
to go to the second-hand market to buy.

For instance, I was to Wal-Mart earlier this week.
(Sadly, I have to drive to another town if I want
to go to CompUSA or BestBuy, so I want to Wal-Mart.)
The only thing I saw there that *may* have been on
the list was the very-expensive OfficeJet.



>>Take for instance Photoshop, PaintShop pro, and all
>>those others. Well, they *say* that Linux has GIMP
>>which eliminates the need for these. But in truth,
>>
>
>I never got my boss to buy me a copy of Photoshop,
>so I used the Gimp.
>
Yeah, Photoshop is very expensive. That's why on my
WinTendo I have PaintShop Pro. Speaking of WinTendos,
their very existence is proof that Windows not only
has better third-party-vendor support than Linux but
*far* better third-party-vendor support.


>>And then there's some ISPs who's tech-support people
>>won't even *talk* to you if you're using Linux.
>>
>
>Same thing if you're using Windows 3.1 or NT or Mac. At
>leat many of them have heard of Linux.
>

Yes, but Windows 3.1 and NT are obsolete versions
of the Windows Operating System. The latest versions
of that OS are well-supported.

And as for Mac, Mac *does* have third-party-support
problems, but not as much as Linux. Furthermore, some
of these ISPs who's tech-support wont talk to Linux
users *do* talk to Mac users.

I used to have such an ISP. I ditched them because
they wouldn't even *try* to help me with my Linux
machine.

I then went to another ISP. They told me that since
Linux wasn't on their official support list they
couldn't guarantee any results, but that they were
willing to *try* to help me. Well, they tried, and
they succeeded rather easily.


>
>
>Kind regards,
>
>
>Daniel von Asmuth
>
>

Kind regards too,

Adam