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The official line on HP support for Linux?

Posted by tadelste on · 10 comments
Lxer; By otis_2 		Mail this story
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I wasn't really expecting anything different than what I got, but I still think it's worth showing everyone.

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I just wanted to get an update from HP to see if they might have some Linux drivers for my ATI Mobility U1 integrated video, considering Linux has been around now for almost 15 years.

Of course ATI just passes the buck by passing you over to the laptop manufacturer. So this is my response from HP support. I think the best part is "HP does not recommend using Linux".

------------------

Nadia (HP Support): Hello otis_2.

Nadia (HP Support): Welcome to HP Americas eSupport for Presario Notebooks. This is Nadia. How may I help you today?

otis_2: Hello Nadia

otis_2: I have a Presario 915ca Laptop with integrated ATI mobile video

otis_2: I want to know whether there is any Linux support at all for this video chipset please

Nadia (HP Support): Ok.

Nadia (HP Support): Oh.

otis_2: I would very much like to get 3d rendering in Linux

otis_2: I am currently talking with you from Linux :)

Nadia (HP Support): otis_2, I am sorry. We do not have any information regarding Linux.

otis_2: this is not good .... I think someone needs to tell the proper people at ATI that they should start to support Linux ... there are a lot of us Penguins out here now you know

Nadia (HP Support): I understand otis_2.

otis_2: after all ... Mr. Gates should not rule the world ...

Nadia (HP Support): But we do not have information regarding Linux.

otis_2: hmmm ... none at all? ... like "they are working on it"? .... anything?

otis_2: perhaps you could tell your supervisor to pass along that this little penguin is not happy about that ... and as soon as another hardware manufacturer gives better Linux support ... I will switch. Perhaps they will listen?

Nadia (HP Support): otis_2, HP does not recommend using Linux.

otis_2: yes, I read that somewhere ... I think perhaps MS paid them to say that :P

otis_2: anyway ... thanks for your help Nadia ... much appreciated

Nadia (HP Support): I appreciate your understanding.

otis_2: have a nice evening ... at least it's evening over here .. I think you must be overseas huh?

Nadia (HP Support): Thank you otis_2. Have Great time.

otis_2: :)

Nadia (HP Support): Bye otis_2. Take care.

otis_2: you too ... bye

Nadia (HP Support): Thank you for using HP Total Care and providing us an opportunity to serve you through Real-Time Chat.

------------------

.... "Have Great time"?!?!

PS: HP online Support chat only works with MSIE. Should this surprise anyone?

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Comments (10)

Everyone should do this, even if you don't buy HP.

dwall72 ·
For the record, HP does support Linux in some areas, like printing, and some servers. The point of this article is that HP, like many other top tier manufacturers, are afraid to lose their M$ comps, and therefore, only support M$ latest, (cough) greatest OS. Sometimes, you will find them supporting Linux in other countries, where M$ has less control, but we want it everywhere. So I suggest everyone begins submitting at every customer service point they get, and try to push the message up the line. Once a major player starts officialy supporting Linux on the main consumer hardware, a trickle effect will happen in the industry.

Another link I submitted to earlier, was http://www.bioware.com . They have a survey that wants to know what platforms you game on. Bioware, and a few other game makers, are the only ones I buy from, because they do support Linux.
AnonymousCoward ·
...or explain to them that I couldn't buy an hp laptop, so was forced to go with a ruggedised, higher-resolution and cheaper TwinHead R15D instead? (-: http://www.twinhead.com/product_durabook/15d.asp

It's probably also worth noting that a few Compaq ("Hewlett Paquard") machines I deal with (two desktops and a laptop) are having trouble even supporting MS-Windows correctly.
pinniped ·
I've always wondered what sort of a deal the manufacturers could possibly be doing with Bi11. XP Pro is about $400 in Australia while MacOSX (a much better system) is only $120 despite the tiny share of Macs in the desktop market. Are manufacturers afraid no one will buy their product unless InternetExplorer is preinstalled? I would like Apple Inc. to really join the PC OS market - release a version of OSX for 'Apple hardware only' but release a device driver API and tools so that people can get other hardware running - and focus on selling software rather than overpriced hardware. Of course OSX like InternetExplorer will never contend with Linux in the server market - who needs a graphical interface wasting resources on a server? But first... improve OpenOffice because - well, we all know what will happen to the Mac version of MSOffice once Apple appear to be any sort of threat.

OEM/Microsoft Tax Survey

windowsrefund ·
Better yet, we can put our efforts into building the OEM/Microsoft Tax Survey so that appropriate parties like the FTC can finally see the industry for what it is. Perhaps the author of this article would be interested in taking ownership of the HP specific information in the survey?

http://windowsrefund.info/survey

Best,

Adam Kosmin WindowsRefund.info

Not My Experience

Abe ·
When I wanted to buy a Linux desktop, I checked the web sites of Dell, IBM and HP. HP was the only one that had some models available with Linux. Although they keep "HP recommends Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional" ad visible on every page, they still have most business models available with Linux or Free DOS. I find that to be encouraging and should be rewarded. It is true that they don't support Linux 100%, but to me it is better than nothing and you wont find similar offers from other OEMs. I would rather see a glass as half full instead of half empty.

Follow these links to see what they still offer.

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF04a/12454-64287-89...

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF04a/12454-64287-89...

You don't need to go through sales office or agents, you can just order on-line without any MS TAX. The prices are even very competitive with other OEMS. Best of all, I personally like HP hardware and desktop models better than other OEMs.
cjcox ·
My biggest gripe is that SUSE works a whole lot better than Red Hat on most of their platforms but they have tight ties with Red Hat and WORTHLESS ties with SUSE. Now... that may be more of Novell's fault than HP's... not sure.
Abe ·
I really don't care about their ties, all I care about is that they have desktops with Linux or Free DOS so I don't have to pay for Windows needlessly. No matter what OS they had, I was going to replace it any how to change the partitioning and configuration to something I want and like. My main point is that, HP is better than any other OEMs in supporting Linux simply because they offer what others don't.
cjcox ·
You'll save at most about $30 by not getting Windows. Truth be told, most of the large vendors can probably get that price down even lower ($20 or so).

So... after 3 years you want to dump your old server.... a license of WinXP (or whatever) is going to cost $130 or so. That's going to impact your resell value. Let's say you buy a nice xw4300 for around $1500. In 3 years, it's showing its age, so you sell it (ebay or whatever). Let's say the resale value is $500-700. You have a choice. You can either sell to the Linux crowd (small market that probably doesn't want a big name box anyhow) or you can sell to a broader market since that stupid COA key is glued to the case. Choice is yours. Without Windows the buyer has to automatically factor in an additional $130 (even then, it's probably through dubious means) for a WinXP key. At $500, you box suddenly becomes a $630 deal. Meanwhile, because my box has a stupid key glued on the box, the buyer will take mine at a flat $500.

So... if you're doing this for some twisted economic reason... you're probably not thinking clearly.

Also.... if you do have a need to run VMware with a Windows instance, having a license key already there really helps cost wise.

I'm not a Windows fan, just want to make sure that people understand the full economics. I may well be true that Microsoft makes money off of W2K3 in its various configurations, but OEM'd by the major vendors, they don't make squat from WinXP.

You're starting to see vendors offering Windows-less boxes either because they have a huge markup on their Windows licenses or simply because there is a "market" for people that just can't stand Windows. Has little to do with a market demand for boxes that cost $30 less.

Just to make matters worse.... let's take a look at a xw4300 from HP.com today (12/14). Let's see I can get a base config with WinXP Pro (not Home) with a P4 630 3Ghz, 512MB, 80G SATA, 48xCD for $899. OR I can get an xw4300 with Linux (or nothing) with a P4 521 2.8Ghz, 512MB, 40GB SATA, 48x CD for $921. Hmmm......

Granted, they are running a special... but why doesn't the special carry over to the Linux line??

Btw.. removing the discount.... and making the Linux box on par with the base Windows config... you'll get: xw4300 (WinXP Pro) 1135.00 xw4300 (Linux) 1100.00 And what do you know!! Looks like Linux will save you $35!! In my opinion that $35 difference is worth a whole lot at resale time.

Yes... I know some of you will say... well I don't want M$ to have that $35... and that's fine. Just don't start thinking you're saving $100+ by getting a box without Windows. And realize the resale values 3 years down the road.

Also... since I've introduced a HUGE amount of variables in your purchasing decision. Realize that once M$ Vista comes out, the value of a WinXP key goes down dramatically about a year after Vista is introduced. So timing can be everything.

If you're dead set against Windows find a vendor that just doesn't do Windows. HP ain't it.

Read the whole comment
Abe ·
cjcox,

You went on a hyperbolic tangent in your selection and reasoning. Without nit picking your senario, here is mine

Go to this link

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/12454-64287-89...

Select "Customize & buy" once for Linux & then Windows. Take the default configuration for each and check out. You will see what I have listed below

_______________________ ******** $837.00 ********** HP Compaq dc5100 Small Form Factor - Alternate OS- HP Compaq dc5100 Small Form Factor - Alternate OS- SuSE Linux OEM- Thermal Kit - SFF- Country Kit dc5100- Intel® Pentium® 4 520 w/HT (2.80GHz, 1MB, 800MHz FSB)- 512MB PC2-3200 DDR2-400 - Integrated Intel® Media Accelerator 900 No Floppy Drive SFF- 160GB Serial ATA 7200RPM HD 1st 48X CD-ROM Drive- Integrated Broadcom NIC HP PS/2 scroll mouse (carbonite)- Standard keyboard PS/2- Desktop accessories flyer Warranty - 3 years - parts, labor, onsite - next business day ______________________ ******** $968.00 ********** HP Compaq dc5100 Small Form Factor- HP Compaq dc5100 Small Form Factor- Microsoft� Windows� XP Professional- QuickBooks Simple Start Special Edition- Thermal Kit - SFF- Country Kit dc5100- Intel� Pentium� 4 520 w/HT (2.80GHz, 1MB, 800MHz FSB)- 512MB PC2-3200 DDR2-400 - Integrated Intel� Media Accelerator 900 No Floppy Drive SFF- 160GB Serial ATA 7200RPM HD 1st 48X CD-ROM Drive- Integrated Broadcom NIC HP PS/2 scroll mouse (carbonite)- Standard keyboard PS/2- dc5100 Restore CD- Desktop accessories flyer Warranty - 3 years - parts, labor, onsite - next business day _______________________

The hardware is exactly the same. The Linux one is $131 less than the Windows one.

You were off by $101 in the saving.

We are talking about Desktops not servers. I don't understand why you selected xw4300 workstation. For normal user, this would be a huge over kill

Forget about resell. In three years, a machine would be obsolete and would be hard to sell. Most likely you will end up giving it away or use its parts.

To me, HP is still the best option.
Read the whole comment
cjcox ·
I work at an HP shop. I have not problems with them. I also prefer the quality (and it is HUGE) that the workstation line gives you. Our standard workstation (SBC) is the xw6200 (won't tell you our price.. it's obscenely cheap), but our group (SCI) is evaluating the xw4300 instead.... it's cheaper and as you mentioned we don't need the overkill (xw6200 supports 2 Xeons). But we do need a corporate platform, not a consumer product.

I'll probably agree with you that HP is the best option. And I think you can probably get that dc5100 down to that $30 difference I was talking about.

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