Ubuntu is not free.

[email.listen at googlemail.com]

Hi Dotan

Am Wed, 12. July 2006 13:46 schrieb Dotan Cohen:
> On 12/07/06, Ouattara Aziz <wattazoum at gmail.com> wrote:
> > So what you're saying is that we let normal users coming from windows
> > suffer from the lack of their hardware support so that they will go yell
> > on manufacturers to release their specs/code ?
> >
> > I think only a few of them will do that. They'll go back to windows and
> > (if we (Linux Community ) are lucky ) they'll wait for a new release of
> > a distribution that support their hardware.
> >
> > If you want them to wake it the way your suggesting, you should have a
> > way to make it easy for them to go complain.
> > (eg. On the distribution website -Ubuntu- have a form they can fill for
> > getting their hardware supported. That form should be related to a
> > database that associate hardware ID with the manufacturer email. So that
> > an email (sender <the complaining person> )will be send to  the
> > manufacturer asking for them to provide Linux support. That will make
> > the manufacturer reply to the complainant and they'll keep in touch
> > concerning the problem. )
>
> Is there a list of know _problematic_ hardware? I would volunteer my
> time to compile a sheet of contact addresses for the responsible
> companies. That way, every time a user _cannot_ get a peice of
> hardware working, he can turn to my simple cheat-sheet and find the
> address to complain to.

The idea of an easy to access 'demand for Linux Hardware support' form is an 
excellent idea! I think this is an overdue step which should be done asap.

Hardware companies often say they don't see a need for offering hardware 
supporting Linux because of the few customers they see in this field. 

For me this looks like a lame excuse. This because I haven't heared of a 
hardware company which did a survey under its customers if there is a demand 
for Linux support and also because I would asume that there are only a very 
few Linux users who ask for such a support.

So if we would find a way to enable more Linux users to demand Linux support 
or complain about missing Linux support to known vendors might be a good idea 
to increase the pressure for offering Linux support and drivers.

A good place for such a 'complain' form might be hal-device-manager.
As for the 'Translate thiss application' menu entry in the help menu of some 
of the applications a menu entry 'Demand Linux hardware support' or 'Complain 
about missing hardware support' might be a good idea.

I would expect that by having such a easy way for demanding better hardware 
support especially small hardware companies may become aware that there is a 
chance to establish a new field to bring their product to the market.

Bigger companies may offer proprietary drivers but I would think that smaller 
companies will prefer free drivers. This because a small companie will not be 
able to bear the additional costs for developing proprietary drivers.
During my work at a lot of fairs, tradeshows and Linux events in the past I 
had the chance to talk with a lot of company representatives. What I saw was 
that especially small companies are willing to support Linux. Also the number 
of hardware companies which already support Linux was bigger amongst small 
companies then amongst big companies.

regards,
Thomas