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View Full Version : Carphone Warehouse abandons linux on netbooks



bobbob94
November 12th, 2008, 05:40 PM
Just read this (http://www.mobiletoday.co.uk/Carphone_to_replace_Linux_with_Windows_on_mini_lap tops.html), about Carphone Warehouse (a big high street mobile phone chain here in the UK).

To quote "'Confusing’ Linux Webbook is replaced with Windows XP version

Carphone Warehouse is recalling its own-brand mini laptops from all of its stores, after it was discovered that customers found the unfamiliar operating system confusing.

The ‘webbook’ devices are understood to have had a high level of returns (as much as 20% in some areas), prompting a decision to call back the Linux-based devices and refit them with the more expensive Windows XP operating system.

One source close to the matter said there were no faults with the device and that it was ‘simply an issue of consumer understanding’. It is believed it will cost the retailer around £25 per unit for the extra licensing to add Windows XP. A ‘home version’ of XP for a single licence costs £40.

The webbooks were made through the computer firm Elonex for Carphone and were first unveiled in July this year after an initial order of 60,000 units. It is believed that each unit cost the retailer £200.

The devices had been bundled for free on a range of fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions, particularly on 3’s mobile broadband. The source added: ‘The webbooks were selling well; it’s just that customers preferred XP.’

The 10.2-inch screen webbook had been Carphone’s entry into the laptop market, but has now been joined by the likes of the Asus 701 mini laptop and products from Toshiba and Sony.

Retail staff at Carphone stressed there had been strong interest in the mini laptops from a younger generation of consumers.

Phones 4u has attempted to build a laptop range with devices from Asus, Fujitsu-Siemens, Sony and Toshiba, and several operators have launched own-brand mini laptops. Orange has unveiled Asus devices, and Vodafone is selling Dell laptops with built-in mobile broadband.

Carphone declined to comment."


Its a bad sign that so they've stopped selling it not due to any problem in particular with linux but just because so many people brought them back because they're not what they're used to. Wonder if that'll ever change or if the mass market is doomed to use ever "prettier" rehashes of windows since thats what they're used to...any thoughts?

Idefix82
November 12th, 2008, 05:48 PM
Retail staff at Carphone stressed there had been strong interest in the mini laptops from a younger generation of consumers.


It's actually quite sad that of all products, one that was aimed at young people who should be expected to be able to learn new things, didn't go down well due to unfamiliarity. However, I think that it's sad for the customers rather than for the OS. Personally, I am happy enough if people who are willing to learn new things and who believe in progress use Ubuntu and others continue to maintain their virus incubators.

Joeb454
November 12th, 2008, 05:53 PM
I think younger people can be worse.

In general, a lot of younger people don't think about the long term, all they like to do is play flash games, use iTunes, and run msn messenger.

Because they can't install these things - it's clearly "faulty" :(

beno1990
November 12th, 2008, 06:06 PM
I think it's pretty stupid that people aren't prepared to learn something new. Yes, Linux is nothing like Windows in many respects, but there should be enough common ground to at least get started.

Linux has a lot of popular programs that Windows has, and where it doesn't, there's almost always an alternative which is just as good. Linux has Firefox, so does Windows, Linux has Thunderbird, so does Windows, Windows and Mac have iTunes, Linux has Amarok, etc.


I think younger people can be worse.

In general, a lot of younger people don't think about the long term, all they like to do is play flash games, use iTunes, and run msn messenger.

Because they can't install these things - it's clearly "faulty" :(

Linux lets you play flash games, it has programs like Amarok in place of iTunes, and there are multiple clients you can use for MSN messenger, including aMSN which is the closest to the original MSN client.

Yes, aMSN has a few bugs, but nothing major that should totally put people off of it.

DoctorBeaver
November 12th, 2008, 06:08 PM
I agree with Joe454. My friend uses my Linux PC for browsing, emails and a couple of online games; but the games are strategy with not much in the way of graphics. I've recently installed Emesene, which is a clone of MSN Messenger, and she's a lot happier with that than with Pigeon. That is probably 75% of her PC usage

However, she does like to play Age Of Empires, SIMS and the like and uses her Vista PC for those sort of apps. Being fairly new to Linux myself I haven't tried installing them under WINE yet.

She, though, like most people her age or younger (she's 26) had never seen an OS other than Windows. She didn't even know about Linux until I told her about it.

It is, I think, a case of safety in familiarity; although for everyday usage such as hers, Linux is very much like Windows.

I would be interested to know exactly what it was about those Linux laptops that people didn't like. If most who returned them were gamers then I'd understand their action. If not, then I reckon it was not having IE & MSN Messenger that prompted it. The ones who kept their laptops were probably either interested to know more about Linux or just used them for browsing and emails etc.

Joeb454
November 12th, 2008, 06:09 PM
While I agree completely - a lot of people can't accept that. And flash support for linux still isn't as good as for windows :(

And with regards to aMSN - I personally prefer emesene :)

smoker
November 12th, 2008, 06:17 PM
i never saw the carphonewarehouse marketing for this linux netbook offer, but i suspect it didn't mention in large clear script what the operating system is, and that it wasn't windows!

i could be wrong here, but if people are disappointed, it is usually because expectations haven't been realised and if they mistakenly thought they were receiving a windows netbook and received a linux netbook then i can see why they were miffed, even though, in reality, they received something far better!

billgoldberg
November 12th, 2008, 06:37 PM
While I agree completely - a lot of people can't accept that. And flash support for linux still isn't as good as for windows :(

And with regards to aMSN - I personally prefer emesene :)

Me too, but still I have been using aMSN now for a while because my webcam works with it.

aMSN is just so damn ugly.

Hopefully aMSN 2 will be out soon.

bobbob94
November 12th, 2008, 06:40 PM
I agree, I did notice the ads and it wasn't made clear that it involved linux at all. i don't know if they pointed that out clearly if you actually signed up for one or not. the linux versions of netbooks seem to be put out as something they're almost embarassed to mention, which seems ridiculous. if they don't make a big point of it being linux (or at least of it not being windows) then of course people are going to be more likely to feel confused or even misled. and i don't think its bad marketing to point that out. i mean you don't see apple trying to pass osx off as something a bit like windows xp and hope noone will notice. they make a point about how their os is different, but also better than windows...

gn2
November 12th, 2008, 07:42 PM
There haven't been any recalls of shipped units, but CPW have decided to switch from Linux to Windows for new sales.

Source: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/11/12/cw_linux_webbook_recall_denial/

Thorndog
November 13th, 2008, 01:24 AM
I bought 2 Asus notebooks with Linux, one for work with a pure flash drive and one for home/portable use with a larger HD (160GB). They are so light that you can literally put them in a pocket of your knapsack and not even know they are there.
At work it's perfect for a web/email machine. I noticed somebody downloaded messenger files of some sort to run. I grinned and deleted the file. No need for MSN Messenger in a dive shop.
It runs spreadsheets and writes good documents in Open Office.
However, ASUS has setup this machine to make it really hard to install anything additional to what they have offered, at least for a medium technical user like me who is not proficient in a Linux terminal environment. It seriously handicaps this computer for uses other than all the basics. I think for my personal one I will probably install Ubuntu and be done with their semi proprietary OS.
This type of computer is superb for a work environment and web browsing but not much else, but isn't that the whole idea of these little things anyway.
For under $400 they 'should' sell but I noticed that Tiger Direct has stopped selling, or at least promoting the Linux version, maybe they ran out?
Still, just to see Linux sold over the counter at big retail chains is an excellent sign. Look at it this way, that Carphone Warehouse company ONLY had 20% returns, that means that the other 80% held on to their new toy.

Sporkman
November 13th, 2008, 05:16 AM
The ‘webbook’ devices are understood to have had a high level of returns (as much as 20% in some areas), prompting a decision to call back the Linux-based devices and refit them with the more expensive Windows XP operating system.


Look at the bright side, over 80% of the buyers have remained with Linux.

zmjjmz
November 13th, 2008, 06:28 AM
Another case of Linux netbook makers putting crappy and undocumented distros on their netbooks.