Comments on: Asus, The Fair Weather Friend http://popey.com/blog/2009/05/14/Asus_The_Fair_Weather_Friend/ DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!! Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:37:19 +0000 hourly 1 By: The Open Sourcerer » Pressure Mounts on Windows Tax? http://popey.com/blog/2009/05/14/Asus_The_Fair_Weather_Friend/comment-page-1/#comment-1059 The Open Sourcerer » Pressure Mounts on Windows Tax? Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:30:54 +0000 #comment-1059 [...] there is this very interesting news story/rumour about Asus being reported currently, I wonder if the message is finally getting through? Awesome news from Engadget about the open source future of the next [...] [...] there is this very interesting news story/rumour about Asus being reported currently, I wonder if the message is finally getting through? Awesome news from Engadget about the open source future of the next [...]

]]> By: The Open Sourcerer » Taxing Times for Free Choice http://popey.com/blog/2009/05/14/Asus_The_Fair_Weather_Friend/comment-page-1/#comment-1010 The Open Sourcerer » Taxing Times for Free Choice Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:43:53 +0000 #comment-1010 [...] any favours by locking themselves into only supplying Microsoft’s Operating System. See this public letter regarding one buyer’s thoughts on the [...] [...] any favours by locking themselves into only supplying Microsoft’s Operating System. See this public letter regarding one buyer’s thoughts on the [...]

]]> By: The Open Sourcerer » Getting your Microsoft Tax Refunded: 10/10 for Amazon UK! http://popey.com/blog/2009/05/14/Asus_The_Fair_Weather_Friend/comment-page-1/#comment-1002 The Open Sourcerer » Getting your Microsoft Tax Refunded: 10/10 for Amazon UK! Tue, 21 Jul 2009 10:35:21 +0000 #comment-1002 [...] wait to use it. However, it is unfortunate that Asus have been bought-off by Microsoft so they will no longer sell these devices with anything other than Windows software. Software that I for one have absolutely no [...] [...] wait to use it. However, it is unfortunate that Asus have been bought-off by Microsoft so they will no longer sell these devices with anything other than Windows software. Software that I for one have absolutely no [...]

]]> By: ML http://popey.com/blog/2009/05/14/Asus_The_Fair_Weather_Friend/comment-page-1/#comment-981 ML Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:33:02 +0000 #comment-981 Well, i wouldnt say, they "betrayed" the community; The have a business to run. But, it's just NOT better. It isn't. It is a shame, what this company, Microsoft, expects their customers to do, use, prepare, pay attention to etc. in order to get a fairly working system (for a while). It's just a joke. But, in a free market society, the better one shall win the competition. And if you are not better, than you either decline honestly or let your lawyers bribe / bully our customers into using your product. And you FUD the masses into eating it. Well, i wouldnt say, they “betrayed” the community;
The have a business to run.

But, it’s just NOT better. It isn’t.

It is a shame, what this company, Microsoft, expects their customers to do, use, prepare, pay attention to etc. in order to get a fairly working system (for a while).
It’s just a joke.

But, in a free market society, the better one shall win the competition.
And if you are not better, than you either decline honestly or let your lawyers bribe / bully our customers into using your product.
And you FUD the masses into eating it.

]]> By: Paul Tansom http://popey.com/blog/2009/05/14/Asus_The_Fair_Weather_Friend/comment-page-1/#comment-867 Paul Tansom Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-867 "Asus isn't a Linux vendor, it's a PC and motherboard vendor. It's neither a charity nor a pseudo-religious order. It's in business to sell people what they want to buy. No sales; no business." They are indeed, and it seems that they've missed a trick here. "No sales; no business." isn't, as far as I've read, the problem. The problem is with those machines that have been sold then returned, and they have been returned due to a lack of decent customer support in many cases. "Sadly for you, most people want to buy Windows, not Linux." Most people don't really care, they just want to be able to run the software they need to. Some, clearly, are unable to understand that "word processor" is not the same as MS Word, or "web browser" is not the same as IE. For those, I agree, you want to have the option to install Windows. Sadly Microsoft is unable to do this properly. They have the legacy Windows XP which has already <a href="http://support.microsoft.com/lifecycle/?p1=3223">past the end of Mainstream Support</a>, Windows Vista which is too bloated for low end netbook hardware (hence MS clinging to XP for longer than planned), and Windows 7 which has not been released yet. It would appear from the referenced website, and the video on there, that Asus are promoting the legacy OS no longer fully supported by Microsoft! "Asus tried to make a buck selling Linux systems: maybe it believed all those Linux advocates who said how wonderful it was. Then it found they didn't sell nearly as well as the same systems running Windows XP. Maybe you should ask Asus's managers who they think betrayed who...." I think this bit sums it up. Asus, it would appear, "tried to make a buck" on the assumption that the Linux community would provide most of the technical support for their products. Those that, like Alan, are able to support themselves have been quite happy. Those that want to use their netbook as a device, simply using the software installed are also quite happy. Those that sit in between and want to add software and hardware have been let down by the combination of inadequately trained sales staff and poor support from Asus. I don't think Asus's managers have been betrayed, and I would argue that Linux community is, on the whole, the more 'grown up'. We can see that if you work with us we can both benefit. The attitude of Asus seems to indicate that they simply want to free load off the hard work of the community without giving anything back - hence we feel betrayed it is because Asus are criticising Linux/us for what is largely their own failings. “Asus isn’t a Linux vendor, it’s a PC and motherboard vendor. It’s neither a charity nor a pseudo-religious order. It’s in business to sell people what they want to buy. No sales; no business.”

They are indeed, and it seems that they’ve missed a trick here. “No sales; no business.” isn’t, as far as I’ve read, the problem. The problem is with those machines that have been sold then returned, and they have been returned due to a lack of decent customer support in many cases.

“Sadly for you, most people want to buy Windows, not Linux.”

Most people don’t really care, they just want to be able to run the software they need to. Some, clearly, are unable to understand that “word processor” is not the same as MS Word, or “web browser” is not the same as IE. For those, I agree, you want to have the option to install Windows. Sadly Microsoft is unable to do this properly. They have the legacy Windows XP which has already past the end of Mainstream Support, Windows Vista which is too bloated for low end netbook hardware (hence MS clinging to XP for longer than planned), and Windows 7 which has not been released yet. It would appear from the referenced website, and the video on there, that Asus are promoting the legacy OS no longer fully supported by Microsoft!

“Asus tried to make a buck selling Linux systems: maybe it believed all those Linux advocates who said how wonderful it was. Then it found they didn’t sell nearly as well as the same systems running Windows XP.

Maybe you should ask Asus’s managers who they think betrayed who….”

I think this bit sums it up. Asus, it would appear, “tried to make a buck” on the assumption that the Linux community would provide most of the technical support for their products. Those that, like Alan, are able to support themselves have been quite happy. Those that want to use their netbook as a device, simply using the software installed are also quite happy. Those that sit in between and want to add software and hardware have been let down by the combination of inadequately trained sales staff and poor support from Asus.

I don’t think Asus’s managers have been betrayed, and I would argue that Linux community is, on the whole, the more ‘grown up’. We can see that if you work with us we can both benefit. The attitude of Asus seems to indicate that they simply want to free load off the hard work of the community without giving anything back – hence we feel betrayed it is because Asus are criticising Linux/us for what is largely their own failings.

]]>