Toshiba Snubs Linux/IrDA Developers

Dag Brattli, the lead developer on the Linux/IrDA team has written "I Just got a mail today which says that Toshiba will not disclose any information regarding chips inside their laptops. This is a final answer (its been decided as high up as it gets) so there is nothing more we can do and we just have to accept it. I will strongly recommend that Linux users don't buy any Toshiba Equipment! " Click below to read the rest of Dag's email and see what you can do to help..

We could (and should) let them know how many of us will not be buying Toshiba laptops because of this. Here is an online form for any of you who have a Toshiba Sales Questions. I sure do! As the owner of a Tecra laptop that won't work with Linux/IrDA now, I'm quite upset by this development. Here is the rest of the post that Dag made to the Linux/IrDA mailing list:

Since it's impossible to write device drivers for their products, they will never get the same Linux support as with other laptops. Toshiba are free to choose whichever policy they like (and we should respect that), but then we have no other choice but to not buy their products. Toshiba does not want to support Linux, so they should also respect that we are forced to recommend Linux users not to buy their products.

-- Dag

Comments

Example email

[loren]

I just sent the following letter to Toshiba at the previously mentioned URL. I recommend others send similar letters:

Dear Toshiba Representative:

I have been a computer user for close to 20 years; having used PC's for the past 10 years. Over the past 5 years I have become familiar with Unix, and have used Linux exclusively on my home PCs for the last 2 years. I have found Linux to be a much more viable and efficient working environment than other commercially available alternatives.

For some time I have been looking into purchasing a laptop. Since I build all of my own PC's a laptop will be a much more significant purchase than any of my previous PC upgrades. I have, up to this point, been most impressed by the Toshiba Satellite Pro series of laptops. They appear to be a solid product for a good price. I have, however, been very disappointed by Toshiba's recent position toward the Linux community.

Toshiba has taken two specific recent actions that upset me:

Recently users of alternative operating systems, such as Linux, became aware of a clause in Microsoft's "End User License Agreement" that allowed users of non-Microsoft operating systems that did not choose to use MS "Windows" to contact their manufacture for refunds on their unused software. In response to this, Toshiba modified the packaging of their laptops so that unpacking the laptop required accepting the Microsoft license, therefore rescinding the refund offer.

Also, when contacted by Dag Brattli, the lead developer in the Linux/IrDA project, Toshiba responded with a policy decision to not disclose any information regarding chips inside their laptops. This was even in light of Dag being a volunteer developer, donating his time to make Linux a better platform. (He was offering his time to make Linux compatible with YOUR hardware!)

In light of these actions I have decided to NOT purchase a Toshiba laptop (or any other Toshiba product for that matter) until Toshiba makes some serious changes in its attitude toward the Linux platform.

Loren Osborn
a concerned consumer

Loren Osborn

DON'T FLAME! Japanese companies don't respond well

[jsm]

Japanese companies respond much better to respectful and well-reasoned comments, than they do to flames. If you flame, or sound threatening or belligerent, they're more likely to be turned off and will want nothing to do with you.

Any "boycott" or feedback should be phrased as Dag suggested, as in "Gee, we really like your fine Toshiba products, and it's very unfortunate that we will now be unable to buy them from you, even though we want to. Isn't there some way we could work together?"

McCarthyism for a new Millennium?

[HomerG]

This sounds too much like McCarthyism to me, perhaps a better name might be linuxwinlist.org. It could contain a list of companies with their heads so far up Microsoft's backside that they can not see the future. With a statement on the page something like this:
"The following is a list of companies that have made the business decision to not provide the Linux community with even the slightest bits of information that would allow for the use of their products by said community. They have every right to make such decisions and we will fully respect those decisions. Although we can appreciate their loyalty, however misplaced it may be, to go down with the Microsoft ship, because of their apparent disregard of a certain segment of the buying public, their lack of vision in the OS arena and the fact that any innovation they may wish to develop will be subject to the dictates of Redmond WA, we would strongly suggest that everyone avoid the purchasing any of their products."


michaelrankin@netscape.net
Every day brings us one day closer to world domination.