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?"

TFA answers its own question

[ACS Solver]

Like the TFA says, they save millions by using free software. Showing that your hardware is stable also brings you extra cash. Recruiting extra specialists and devoting extra resources to help what's a tiny part of your user base is not financially profitable, so they don't.

Sometimes things are that simple.

Re:Easy Answer

[tholomyes]

Well, that's a chicken-and-egg problem, then. One of the reasons most often cited for the prevalence of Windows is the availability of software. Your user base is never going to consider moving to Linux if they can't do x, y, or z with it.

Not surprising

[Goofy73]

While I too find that a bit disturbing, it doesn't surprise me.

1) There isn't enough people using linux to really hurt them dollar wise by not supporting it.

2) They probably saved a lot of money by not licensing an os or trying to develop one on their own.

3) There is nothing really preventing them from doing so as long as they abide by the GPL etc...

As I said, I'm not saying it's right but it is what I would expect at this point.

Re:Easy Answer

[bmsleight]

I have a Tom-Tom and only have GNU/Linux machines at home. The Tom-Tom via USB will act as a mass-storage device so you can no most things - heck there are just files on the Tom-Tom. I even have my wife's voice giving me directions. The only thing that is not possible is downloading extra maps. But this can be done via a mobile device paired with the Tom-Tom

Re:Easy Answer

[Applekid]

But why should a company support linux just because their gadget has linux running inside it?

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.

I liked the prayer on top of SQLite, actually, for this very reason. Here it is:

** May you do good and not evil.
** May you find forgiveness for yourself and forgive others.
** May you share freely, never taking more than you give.

Emphasis mine.

Re:Easy Answer

[Stefanwulf]

If they're fully GPL-compliant, then they _are_ giving back to the community by opening up the source that they develop using GPL'd code. The tweaks, improvements, and extensions that they make to the OS and other applications become available, and that helps make the software that we all use better in the long run. Free software isn't about making people write certain programs or support certain platforms in order to offset the benefit they derive from not having to reinvent the wheel. It's about the way that we all inherently benefit from people having time and money to spend on things other than more wheels. No tithing is required, which is the beauty of it all.

two ways of doing business

[zogger]

1)try to milk out existing markets

2)develop new markets that look to have some potential down the road, where there is little or no competition right now

We have corporations fixated on the next quarter profits,all the way to the point of abandoning R&D and selling off assets, etc, and those looking for the long haul. Sure, you get a fast fat city bottom line that way, but it's *stoopid*

  Detroit in the early 70s vs. Japan, Inc. Who was actually smarter, which set of execs was actually looking out for their investors the best, the old "bottom line"? *Which* bottom line is more important, who's kicking ass now and who keeps having to dodge bankruptcy and junk bond status and so on?

FOSS-you either get it, or you don't, and it really is that simple, and to this day a lot of people even on this site just do not "get it". If you play act at "getting it", you won't receive all the benefits possible. Just try to milk it out short term with no sharing or thought to the users or taking a peek at the long view, again, it proves you don't get it or don't want to get it and in the long run you won't be as successful.

So, to all those folks saying the corporations are only interested in money, sure, I'd agree, but for how long? Do you want to make money for a long time, and just cede potential up and coming markets to squeeze out or cheap out a few extra nickles now in the short run? Is that really all you care about? Is it a good idea to cheap out on R&D, after all, right this quarter it's not "making you any money", now is it? Cheap out on embracing new customers? Slam up a website that bogues out decent double digits of the folks who use "alternative browsers" or OSes besides IE and windows out there, just tell those people to get stuffed?

Choices, business decisions, short range versus long range versus looking at ALL the ranges. Invest in your real business, invest in finding new customers instead of just milking the ones you have now, invest in research and share back because the more who do that the more "you" get back as well. That just seems to be a much better idea than cheaping out for the short run.

Re:What about server/client discrimination

[Indian]

The biggest offender that fits the bill on this: Google.
Where is a voice+video capable native google talk client for linux?
Ditto for google earth, picasa, ........

Re:Easy Answer

[Jimmy King]

Why do the linux devs necessarily need to be printing from linux? I develop software that runs on linux, but I print from windows. All of my development is done on a remote server via ssh while my workstation (unfortunately) runs XP.

Re:Easy Answer

[Chris Mattern]

Even for-profit companies have a line item that says "Goodwill" on the budget.

Which has a very specific meaning relating to accounting for corporate mergers. "Goodwill" has nothing to do with going out and making people feel good about your company.

Chris Mattern

Re:Easy Answer

[solid_liq]

Enter DKMS, the Dell project, which abstracts the kernel version from the device driver. This project renders your point about device drivers moot.

See more here: Dell Linux Projects [dell.com].

Re:Easy Answer

[JimDaGeek]

I guess that depends on whose numbers you look at. At MacNN [macnn.com] it says that Apple had 5.6% of shipments for Q2 2007. Then at this site [hitslink.com] it shows Mac had 3.33% of the market share. So who knows the real numbers. I would bet it is between 3% - 5%.