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View Full Version : Shouldn't we be more thankful?



JC Cheloven
October 23rd, 2008, 06:38 AM
Hi, I've just installed my brand new printer. A laser-color CLP-310 from Samsung. I bought it 'cause it was advertised as "linux compatible" (even though it isn't listed at linuxprinting ), and 'cause it was worth only 122€ :-)

Know what? It come with a driver installer for linux, just as easy to install as a windoz one !!! And it works very well! Well, not free ones (I think), but at least some drivers. And more important: the manufacturers are realizing that we do exist !

My point is: shouldn't we take a moment to thank the manufacturers who offer a decent linux support? A plain email with something as "I purchased your xxx.xxx product because of its linux support, and it works all right. Thanks, and keep the good work"

That way, they would know that they sold (say) a printer because they made drivers for linux, and this would encourage them into the right direction...

wolfen69
October 23rd, 2008, 06:41 AM
i agree. people should let these companies know when they do good.

Saint Angeles
October 23rd, 2008, 06:42 AM
thats a fantastic idea. making manufacturers know how grateful their linux users are is also good karma.

iKonaK
October 23rd, 2008, 06:44 AM
NO, we shouldn't thank for something we pay, we can thank for FOSS, GNU, Ubuntu but not for something we pay money, the quality and compatibility with all os-s should be implied.

brunovecchi
October 23rd, 2008, 06:58 AM
Well, after i bought my laptop with ubuntu preinstalled, I felt like sending a short e-mail to the store saying that it worked flawlessly and that I supported their OS choice.

This should also apply whenever you find an open source application that proves helpful for you.

handy
October 23rd, 2008, 08:05 AM
NO, we shouldn't thank for something we pay, we can thank for FOSS, GNU, Ubuntu but not for something we pay money, the quality and compatibility with all os-s should be implied.

They don't know whether the product goes to a windows or a Linux user. If they are told in a thank you message then they do & with enough thank's may put more energy into the Linux side of their business sooner.

Being grumpy because they don't give their printers away certainly won't help anyone.

rativid
October 23rd, 2008, 08:28 AM
It`s nice idea, but if large amount of users begin sending emails for manufacturers these messages looking as spam (I think).

alwez_loner_TZ
October 23rd, 2008, 08:33 AM
I think we should be thank full to every body involved with UBUNTU, as a lot of people are putting a lot of time into making it a better OS.

Giant Speck
October 23rd, 2008, 08:35 AM
NO, we shouldn't thank for something we pay, we can thank for FOSS, GNU, Ubuntu but not for something we pay money, the quality and compatibility with all os-s should be implied.

Why would I thank Ubuntu for a driver that a hardware company made?

The manufacturer wasn't forced or required to develop that driver. They developed it because Linux users are part of their customer base.

smoker
October 23rd, 2008, 09:02 AM
They don't know whether the product goes to a windows or a Linux user. If they are told in a thank you message then they do & with enough thank's may put more energy into the Linux side of their business sooner.

+one,

whether it is a linux driver, or something else, if you're happy with a product, it costs nothing to show it, and maybe make someone's day a happier one :-)

iKonaK
October 23rd, 2008, 10:37 AM
Why would I thank Ubuntu for a driver that a hardware company made?

The manufacturer wasn't forced or required to develop that driver. They developed it because Linux users are part of their customer base.
1. you/us should thank ubuntu not for drivers but for what it is, free and open; and most of all for what it (and FOSS and GNU etc.) stands for....
2. the manufacturers aren't force to develop anything however they need to satisfy all the customers needs no matter if the customer is using windows or GNU/Linux or solaris or amiga or whatever....by not complying with the costumers needs they only have to loose, is in their interest to align with costumers needs....

3rdalbum
October 23rd, 2008, 12:39 PM
I noticed earlier that Samsung lasers explicitly support Linux. I haven't gone one though. I did e-mail LG to say that I was happy that their DVD burner that I bought works well with Linux.

FutanariKitty
October 23rd, 2008, 12:55 PM
1. you/us should thank ubuntu not for drivers but for what it is, free and open; and most of all for what it (and FOSS and GNU etc.) stands for....
2. the manufacturers aren't force to develop anything however they need to satisfy all the customers needs no matter if the customer is using windows or GNU/Linux or solaris or amiga or whatever....by not complying with the costumers needs they only have to loose, is in their interest to align with costumers needs....

With that mindset no large, profit-seeking corporation would ever bother developing anything for Linux. Let's face facts: we may all love the GNU/Linux system, and it may be infinitismally easier to install and maintain these days then say, 5 years ago, but as Linux users we still maintain a VERY small market segment in the desktop market.

While I always prefer to have open-source drivers, the fact that Samsung even bothers to put in an effort is wonderful. That means they are spending resources to actually fund Linux support, a practice that is rarely found in desktop hardware manufacturers. They could have designed a printer that functions in Windows, and never release a driver or specs, and leave it at that.

Showing support is always a good thing. My first distro was an old copy of Red Hat that I purchased from a store. By your logic, I should not thank Red Hat, even though they took the time to design a package management system, bundle the software conveniently, and release it in a number of formats. I may have paid for it, but that doesn't change the fact that I was quite happy to have a functioning Linux system for the first time with a minimum of hassle.

Showing support can lead to better chances of future cooperation. Even in the FOSS world, lack of appreciation for an application can easily contribute to its demise. And really, how much does it hurt to send out a thank you email? I know if I worked hard on an application or driver, and someone sent me an email thanking me for my tenacity, it would absolutely make my week.

JC Cheloven
October 23rd, 2008, 08:26 PM
Well, after i bought my laptop with ubuntu preinstalled, I felt like sending a short e-mail to the store saying that it worked flawlessly and that I supported their OS choice.

This should also apply whenever you find an open source application that proves helpful for you.

That's right, of course. Being grateful with one person does not mean ignoring another person. In fact, I have the habit of thanking a different foss project of my choice some 3 times a year (i.e. sending a small but heartfully donation of about 15 to 20€). From now on, I'll write once a moth to someone involved, simply to tell him/her my opinions, and how much I appreciate their work.

He dicho :-)

Giant Speck
October 23rd, 2008, 09:31 PM
1. you/us should thank ubuntu not for drivers but for what it is, free and open; and most of all for what it (and FOSS and GNU etc.) stands for....
2. the manufacturers aren't force to develop anything however they need to satisfy all the customers needs no matter if the customer is using windows or GNU/Linux or solaris or amiga or whatever....by not complying with the costumers needs they only have to loose, is in their interest to align with costumers needs....

1. I do not use Ubuntu for what it stands for. I couldn't care less about the FOSS/GNU movement. I didn't sign a contract to uphold the Open Source philosophy when I installed it. It's an alternative operating system, not an alternative lifestyle.
Therefore, I am not going to thank it just because it exists.

2. It's the manufacturer's right to develop a product for an exclusive group of customers. Expecting a computer hardware manufacturer to develop drivers to satisfy every major operating system is like expecting an automobile manufacturer to develop different versions of the same car to satisfy every major alternative fuel source. If they do develop drivers to satisfy every major operating system, then good for them. They should be thanked for it, but not expected to do it.

forrestcupp
October 23rd, 2008, 10:23 PM
With that mindset no large, profit-seeking corporation would ever bother developing anything for Linux. Let's face facts: we may all love the GNU/Linux system, and it may be infinitismally easier to install and maintain these days then say, 5 years ago, but as Linux users we still maintain a VERY small market segment in the desktop market.


Exactly right!

A company only exists to make money. Hardware companies spend a lot of money on research and development. They spend that money with the expectation of getting a financial return on their R&D. Linux users are such a small portion of the market share that most companies wouldn't make back the money it would take to develop for Linux users. So with that in mind, this printer manufacturer actually did freely give to the community because they were willing to invest in us even though it may not be financially worth it for them.

The attitude that the world owes us everything isn't very attractive.

And this thread should have been started a month from now when Thanksgiving is here.

Vadi
October 23rd, 2008, 10:32 PM
I buy products that claim linux support if possible. Otherwise, just if it works.

aeiah
October 23rd, 2008, 10:38 PM
whilst thanking the printer manufacturer or whatever is nice, for a large company it is pretty meaningless. no one higher up than the bottom rung will read it. what is important in situations like this is that you register your product on their website or whatever, and state in the registration that you use linux. this will be used in statistics at strategy and sales meetings etc within the company.

FutanariKitty
October 23rd, 2008, 11:49 PM
whilst thanking the printer manufacturer or whatever is nice, for a large company it is pretty meaningless. no one higher up than the bottom rung will read it. what is important in situations like this is that you register your product on their website or whatever, and state in the registration that you use linux. this will be used in statistics at strategy and sales meetings etc within the company.

True, that would probably be a bit more useful but...you never know. That email just MIGHT get forwarded and make some poor codemonkey's day :P

joninkrakow
October 24th, 2008, 07:46 AM
My point is: shouldn't we take a moment to thank the manufacturers who offer a decent linux support? A plain email with something as "I purchased your xxx.xxx product because of its linux support, and it works all right. Thanks, and keep the good work"

That way, they would know that they sold (say) a printer because they made drivers for linux, and this would encourage them into the right direction...

Good point. We just recently got a multipurpose laser for our church office, and HP something, and it works perfectly, out of the box, including duplex. Also, I took our older Samsung, and wen looking for Linux drivers, and Samsung had them on thier web page. We really ought to thank them for their Linux support. I shall register the printers today, and thanking them. :-0

-Jon

iKonaK
October 24th, 2008, 09:34 AM
whilst thanking the printer manufacturer or whatever is nice, for a large company it is pretty meaningless. no one higher up than the bottom rung will read it. what is important in situations like this is that you register your product on their website or whatever, and state in the registration that you use linux. this will be used in statistics at strategy and sales meetings etc within the company.
+1
that would probably be the best thing :)

MontyFromSingleMinds
October 24th, 2008, 10:06 AM
That's actually quite a positive idea, which is a nice change in today's world.

If companies start to see that more people are using Linux, the smart ones will start to consider supporting it to the maximum - especially in a tight market.

It takes a few minutes, and may help all of us using Linux to have even more resources available to use.

If it doesn't, nothing's lost.

JC Cheloven
November 1st, 2008, 03:29 AM
Update:

I wrote to Samgung (both spanish and usa branches). It was not so easy to file my emails. I had to use the technical support for my registered product as a way to contact them (btw, at registering time, no question about the OS you're using is asked).

In a couple of lines, I told them about my appreciation for their linux support, and (naively) suggested that releasing the linux drivers as open source would result in a whole community of volunteers able to maintain the drivers for free.

Of course they didn't mention my suggestion in their answer. But there was an answer (from the spanish branch). Somehow the expected one: "We're glad to hear about your satisfaction.. blah, blah... our main goal is the satisfaction of our costumers".

Well, perhaps some two or three people have read this at samsung, and perhaps one of these has a friend at the marketing dpt. (oh, I'm sorry, I forgot that people at marketing doesn't have real friends :-D ), and perhaps this one speaks now and then to a person at management...

The possibilities are scarce, but there is a chance for the "supporting-linux-is-interesting" message to reach someone able to make decisions.
The more of us are sending such messages, the more the chances are, I think.

Scary happy Halloween to everyone :-)