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View Full Version : Britain doesn't like linux!



Yaffle
July 31st, 2007, 06:13 PM
It appears that us British just don't like the hole linux concept.
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=41349

kelvin spratt
July 31st, 2007, 06:17 PM
i'm British than you very much

drascus
July 31st, 2007, 06:18 PM
Well they don't have to like it really. Maybe there hasn't been very much good press about them in the UK. I think that this article is kind of skewed. It's saying that they're hasn't been requests for linux on the computers there. That doesn't mean people don't want it maybe they don't really know about it. Maybe no body there especially cares to make a big stink to acer about it. "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence" to quote Carl Sagan. I think that there is just not a whole lot of rallying by the Linux community there.

Ozor Mox
July 31st, 2007, 06:20 PM
Argh that's such crap. Dell aren't yet selling Ubuntu machines here either, otherwise I'd have bought one by now.

jgrabham
July 31st, 2007, 06:28 PM
Write new guys :]


P.S. hard to find an email address, but got one off their international page

PatrickMay16
July 31st, 2007, 06:32 PM
No problem then. Let's write some lettars. Heh heh heh heh.

smoker
July 31st, 2007, 06:38 PM
sounds like an excuse to me, instead of doing some market research of their own, they want uk buyers to write and beg them! they will miss out on a lot of sales if dell get here first :-)

super breadfish
July 31st, 2007, 06:44 PM
I think the problem is that most British people have probably never heard of Linux. Most won't even know there are different operating systems, I've met many people before that think Windows is actually some vital part of the computer.

I'm sure with a bit of education there would be plenty of penguin love here.

jgrabham
July 31st, 2007, 06:45 PM
they will miss out on a lot of sales if dell get here first :-)

I put something similar in the email I just sent.

MonkeyBoy
July 31st, 2007, 06:47 PM
I don't see how Acer can qualify their statement without having some kind of poll or public survey.

I occasionally ask in PC World whether they have any Linux PCs but I only do this to do my bit for the Linux profile, not expecting for one moment that they will say "yes". I suspect that not many Linux users do this, partly because it's totally futile, but also because the Linux experience doesn't have anything to do with shopping. It is more often about building or refurbishing PCs, then installing Linux.

Buying a preinstalled Linux PC doesn't appeal to me really as I might want a different distro in a few weeks or I might not like the way they configure it. Not paying for Windows would be the only advantage. Preinstalled machines would be more useful to noobs who don't care what OS they run but just want web, email, etc and don't want to have to muck about with virus checkers or to have to pay an extra sum for Windows.

I do feel sure that if any of these big vendors were to survey their customers realistically they would find that even people with no intention of switching from Windows would support a better choice. The survey could just ask "Do you think it would be a good idea if we offered you a choice of Operating Systems at a range of different prices?" I bet everyone would say that was a good idea.

vambo
July 31st, 2007, 06:56 PM
Next person who tells me I don't like linux gets a Govan kiss

:evil:

Acer - stick your laptops where they'll be of more use

Sunforge
July 31st, 2007, 08:09 PM
It's interesting that they'll sell Linux where piracy is rife but they won't sell Linux where piracy isn't such a bad problem.

yknivag
July 31st, 2007, 08:18 PM
To be honest I think the British public (and the wider Linux community) can only benefit from Acer not launching any new laptops. But that's my personal opinion. I've worked with many laptops and never have I known any as poorly made.

In the long run though selling PCs pre-configured can only be good. Yes those of us that like to play around will want to strip it off and try another distro but it will at least prove to the average person that Linux works.

Not only that as soon as big name PC retailers start selling pre-configured machines then the sooner hardware manufacturers will start supplying drivers.

BigSilly
July 31st, 2007, 08:26 PM
There is certainly a wave of interest in Linux across the world right now, and Britain is very much a part of that, no matter how certain companies might like to spin it. I'm sure there's been a load of reports underlining how UK consumers are shunning Vista for XP, so this means nothing. No-one buys PC's from Acer anyway, so this is a bit of free publicity to me, and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

I think the Linux users in this country though are perhaps a bit more tech savvy anyway: they've had to be - how many UK Linux users like me just built their own PC's or went to a local retailer knowing full well the high street retailers wouldn't cater for them?

I say if companies aren't going to take notice of the surge towards Linux wherever in the world you are, then more fool them. But know this, the Linux community in Britain is very strong and vocal. How Acer can dismiss UK computer users in this way is shocking. I'd write a letter to them, but they're clearly idiots. If you can't see the business possibilities in offering a *choice* to your customers then fine. Good luck with Vista guys. You're going to need it.

Mathiasdm
July 31st, 2007, 08:29 PM
There seem to be a lot of 'I live in Britain and Linux... Damn you, Acer!' responses, which seem rather strange to me (and a few people on Ubuntuforums liking Linux doesn't really show anything).

Picture yourself in the position of a large company like Acer. Why would you take the risk to start selling Linux, when you're doing great already?

There are benefits to selling computers with Linux, but downsides as well. No reason to get angry at Acer for thinking the downsides are larger than the benefits.

yknivag
July 31st, 2007, 08:39 PM
There are benefits to selling computers with Linux, but downsides as well. No reason to get angry at Acer for thinking the downsides are larger than the benefits.

Acer have clearly decided that the befits are greater (otherwise they wouldn't be selling them elsewere). Acer said in their press release that "British consumers don't want Linux". It is this statement that people are taking issue with.

Mind you, most Brits who are tech savvy enough to want Linux are also tech savvy enough to know that an Acer laptop is just a moderately expensive doorstop whatever OS it's running.

BigSilly
July 31st, 2007, 08:48 PM
Mind you, most Brits who are tech savvy enough to want Linux are also tech savvy enough to know that an Acer laptop is just a moderately expensive doorstop whatever OS it's running.

This is true.

I stand by my original point of this being a lovely bit of free publicity, so please move along...nothing to see here.

drascus
July 31st, 2007, 09:13 PM
Acer in this article said it is now starting to offer ubuntu on its lap tops. Hmm thats strange.

http://www.product-reviews.net/2007/07/31/acer-to-offer-ubuntu-pre-loaded-onto-their-laptops/

Nezing
July 31st, 2007, 11:12 PM
We brits do like linux,it's just as BigSilly has said,you have to build a model yourself.PC World sales assistants tend to say "er",or scratch their heads,look at the floor,or tell you there is no demand,and would you like Vista!!
The UK has a thriving linux community,thank you very much Acer.Just do your home work better next time.As for Michael Dell,he will sell linux-installed pc's on mass over here very soon.We are watching in anticipation Michael....:)

smoker
July 31st, 2007, 11:27 PM
i know it would probably be impossible to ascertain, but i think if there was a country by country comparison per population of linux users, then i'm sure the UK would be in the top five!

Sayers
July 31st, 2007, 11:41 PM
This is a horrible-steryotype, Majority of US uses Windows, but some people still like it ... >.>

RAV TUX
July 31st, 2007, 11:45 PM
Thats just crazy the best Linux Magazine comes out of England: Linux Format.

These guys are one can shy of a Six Pack.

tigerpants
August 1st, 2007, 08:52 AM
Argh that's such crap. Dell aren't yet selling Ubuntu machines here either, otherwise I'd have bought one by now.

Or you could just buy a computer from a decent manufacturer and install linux yourself. Dell make awful cheap garbage.

Taum
August 1st, 2007, 08:59 AM
Well, once Vista gets there and repeated paying for CD Keys becomes tiresome, anyone would beg for Linux.

Ozor Mox
August 1st, 2007, 01:12 PM
Or you could just buy a computer from a decent manufacturer and install linux yourself. Dell make awful cheap garbage.

I would if I could get the PC with no operating system installed. I don't mind installing Ubuntu myself, I've done it lots of times, but I refuse to pay for another copy of Windows when I don't want it.

DoctorMO
August 1st, 2007, 02:01 PM
I'm british, but I gotta say there is a kernel of truth to this problem.

The UK is opposed to FOSS as political position, think about businesses which are far more right wing in the UK than they are in the US or in the rest of Europe; then think of the government with it's "Must not ever be socialist" Biased agenda. Even when people point out the economic benifits of open source the government is only able to frame the idea in relation to money and just don't get IT or computing anyway.

Let's face it, apart from the normal grass roots, the UK is being skipped over, projects are going to mainland Europe from the US despite the language barriers before they get to the UK; We're behind, we're complacent, stick in the muds from a Victorian age.

It doesn't help o'course that we either convict and drive insane (Allan Turing) or we whole sale export to the USA (Allan Cox, Sir Tim Burns Lea etc etc) our best minds who are more likely to show open source support. leaving all the "just my job" programmers and IT people who have no spirit for the subject.

It's sad but the UK is NOT the place to be for programmers or IT people with any real skill; Perhaps if we had some real government support or proper educational support... but no, we suck in the modern age and it's our fault for being so complacent, uneducated and only funding development that has direct money outcomes.