How come companies don't advertise that their product works with Linux?

[Legendary_Bibo]

My bamboo tablet wasn't advertised as working with Linux, nor was my bluetooth mouse (which in all fairness is a MS mouse), and I know games like UT2004 have a native installation of Linux (mine didn't, but certain version supposedly do). Yet all these things work with Linux. Why don't companies display that? All it takes is a logo with a penguin that reads "compatible with Linux".

[Bachstelze]

I guess you'd have to ask them, no one here is in their minds. ;)

[RiceMonster]

I guess you'd have to ask them, no one here is in their minds. ;)

/thread

[oldsoundguy]

not enough users to register in the minds of the marketers .. but that IS changing slowly as usage increases.

BUT, I have seen it more and more on the ON LINE description of items. The "compatible with" statements.

[cchhrriiss121212]

Possibly because the Linux market is so small it will mean they will lose profit from costs like: rewriting manuals; training support staff; additional firmware updates and longer R+D times.
If a single company started making hardware designed specifically for linux then it might be financially viable.

[sdowney717]

yup, support issues, IF they says works with Linux, and the customer finds it does not work, then potential lawsuit over hurt feelings.

[WinterRain]

It's changing though. Lexmark printers now come with a tux logo on the box.

[Timmer1240]

Im trying to get the word out to my friends and relatives how great Ubuntu Linux and open source software is but if companys would start writing Linux compatable on their products this would make it seem more of a legit OS in their minds!Im so happy Ive tryed it and am using it all the time now its a Great way to compute!

[ubunterooster]

because everything works with Linux so why say it does?

/sarcasm

[cmat]

I've seen a few wireless and cable adapters with tux on it.

[kaldor]

My Brother printer has a Tux on the box it came in.

[Dawei87]

a lot of flash drives and hard drives have it on there now too

[PC_load_letter]

How about this, a few days ago I was checking the WD media Live player (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=735). This is the 2nd generation of the product adding wi-fi and internet access. I wanted to check it out to see if it supports the Linux file systems, ext2, ext3...etc. So I downloaded the manual (http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/?id=159&type=25). Only to find stated that the only supported file systems are the FAT ones and NTFS.

Digging deeper, I found this (see attached pic) on the last few pages of the manual. So a little googling revealed that support for ext2 & ext3 is guaranteed out of the box, this was a post by one of the devs at the wd forum site. So, they are using GPL products, and are completely shy about the linux FS support?!!!!:confused:

I really don't get it.:confused::confused:

[ubunterooster]

How about this, a few days ago I was checking the WD media Live player (http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=735). This is the 2nd generation of the product adding wi-fi and internet access. I wanted to check it out to see if it supports the Linux file systems, ext2, ext3...etc. So I downloaded the manual (http://www.wdc.com/wdproducts/library/?id=159&type=25). Only to find stated that the only supported file systems are the FAT ones and NTFS.

Digging deeper, I found this (see attached pic) on the last few pages of the manual. So a little googling revealed that support for ext2 & ext3 is guaranteed out of the box, this was a post by one of the devs at the wd forum site. So, they are using GPL products, and are completely shy about the linux FS support?!!!!:confused:

I really don't get it.:confused::confused:
Our Linux-based, GPL liscensed, router boasts Mac and PC support but completely fails to mention Linux.

[joshmuffin]

Ive noticed more "may not be compatible with Linux" then "compatible with Linux"

[ugm6hr]

yup, support issues, IF they says works with Linux, and the customer finds it does not work, then potential lawsuit over hurt feelings.

Exactly.

Also - I suspect the feeling that manufacturers have no control over kernel versions, regressions etc, even with open source drivers.

Canonical charge companies to certify their stuff as "Ubuntu-compatible" - and then it only applies for a specific version. That's OK for windows et al, with a 3-year+ life cycle, but less so for a 6-monthly cycle.

Hence, low perceived additional client / customer base + new support issues + potential for customer dissatisfaction = not worth it.

[t0p]

That support thing is most definitely the reason. If you call the "support" line of almost any hardware or software company and tell them you're using Linux, the most common response will be "What's a Linux?" And once you've explained that Linux is an operating system (and maybe had to explain what an operating system is too!), the "support" worker will probably tell you to use Windows 7 instead.

Some companies are trying - for instance, Vodafone "kind of" endorse Betavine, which is an open source initiative to provide Linux support for Vodafone's mobile broadband dongle. But note: this is not an official endorsement. I'm sure the lawyers wouldn't like it being called official.

[t.rei]

They wouldn't say 'compatible with windows' if they weren't paid for it. It's called marketing. Commercials even. Advertisement.

So you give them a cent every time they put a "works with ubuntu 10.04" sticker on something, an believe me, you will see A LOT of those.

[98cwitr]

So they don't **** MS off.

In all honesty, no company can legitamently claim that any hardware is compatible with Linux because linux is open source and drivers can be added and removed at will. Therefore, if someone releases a distro, but has removed support for those devices, and it doesn't work, the company can be sued for false advertising.

Just because there is kernel support does not mean that the device will fully function.

[PC_load_letter]

So they don't **** MS off.

In all honesty, no company can legitamently claim that any hardware is compatible with Linux because linux is open source and drivers can be added and removed at will. Therefore, if someone releases a distro, but has removed support for those devices, and it doesn't work, the company can be sued for false advertising.

Just because there is kernel support does not mean that the device will fully function.

Makes sense, although I don't see how it applies to the example I gave (support for ext2, ext3). So, how about supporting certain distros, e.g. to say the product is compatible w/ Ubuntu 10.04, or Fedora 13 ...etc.?

[Penguin Guy]

My bamboo tablet...
You have a bamboo toilet?? :mad: Think of the pandas.

[KiwiNZ]

Makes sense, although I don't see how it applies to the example I gave (support for ext2, ext3). So, how about supporting certain distros, e.g. to say the product is compatible w/ Ubuntu 10.04, or Fedora 13 ...etc.?

You have answered the question. The cost would be huge to test the product with all the Distros. Then how many do you test against?
How many versions back?

That cost then needs to be passed onto the buyer pushing up the cost to the consumer. And No OEM is going to add the Linux compatibility with thorough testing.

And this is one of the major stumbling blocks of large scale up take of linux by the OEMS. Until there is rationalization of Distros and a lot less of them it simply will not happen.