Why Do Commercial Offerings Use Linux, But Not Support Linux Users?

Michele Alessandrini writes "Having bought several TomTom One navigation systems at work, I was browsing their web site to find information about maps. There are several pages of documentation about their devices. In one of them, they proudly inform you that their devices use Linux, as a warranty of power and stability. They even prominently display their GPL compatibility. But, when you come to the software (the one used to manage updates, set locations, etc), they only support Windows and Mac OS. Not that surprising, and not a real necessity. Just the same, they probably saved millions of dollars using a free kernel and didn't think to support Linux users. As Linux gains ground in commercial applications like this, how often are we going to see actual users of the OS left out in the cold? Why don't more Linux-using shops reach out to the Linux-using community?"

Re:Easy Answer

[paiute]

It's about good citizenship, not an extra two cents profit per device.

Actually, business are run by MBAs. It is about the extra two cents profit per device.

Re:Easy Answer

[Anonymous Coward]

Because they are benefiting from a mature, open source, and well understood pre-established operating system. If there was no Linux they would have to spend much more development costs in building their own OS for their devices.

Enter the GPLv4... if you ever uses GPL licensed software, anything you produce must work out of the box with GPL licensed software.

Re:Easy Answer

[Random832]

I'll write a GPL-licensed piece of software that doesn't work at all, thereby forbidding everyone from using GPL licensed software (because it doesn't work with my software)

Re:Because..

[Anonymous Coward]

"If you want to see a business that supports linux users start one and watch it fail."

there fixed

Re:Easy Answer

[vosester]

"They have to determine which versions of KDE will support X and Y" well supporting X is a bitch but i awfully sure Y is dead http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y_Window_System [wikipedia.org]

Re:Easy Answer

[Bluesman]

Wife's voice, eh?

Can you also have it second-guess the way you're driving and change its mind about which way you should turn at the last minute? Or how about having it shout "Oh my GOD!!!!" at random while you're driving in traffic, and then telling you that they're putting in a new Banana Republic at the shopping center you just passed.

Until I can buy a GPS that does that, I'll stick with the real thing.

Re:Easy Answer

[SEWilco]

If you intend to write a piece of software that doesn't work at all, then when it doesn't work it will be working. So in order for it to not work at all it will have to work.