07.26.08

ASUS: “Currently, We’re Closely Tied up With Microsoft”

Posted in GNU/Linux, Microsoft, OLPC, Windows at 4:56 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

Did the Linux-based Eee PC really sell out? Or did ASUS?

Some time ago people wondered why Asus had sort of phased out its GNU/Linux version of the Eee PC, at least in some specific places and new models. Here’s a drop-in hint:

TechTree: States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka promote the Linux operating system in its education and government sectors. Will ASUS roll out Linux alternatives for the new 904HD and 1000H models in India?

Benson Lin [for ASUS]: Currently, we’re closely tied up with Microsoft and the EEE PC with Windows XP would be available to the Indian market. However, the Linux alternative would be a possibility based on specific grounds.

Recall that Microsoft very specifically chose to fight low-cost laptops running GNU/Linux. What exactly is going on in the boardroom of ASUS these days? The Foxconn story comes to mind (last updated hours ago). What might happen to SplashTop now that ASUS is “closely tied up with Microsoft”? Remember Corel and GNU/Linux? Remember OLPC and what Intel and Microsoft did to it? It’s always cheaper to sabotage the competition than it is to compete fairly. But will the world be told the true story? █

Share this post: These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.

Permalink Mail Send this to a friend

If you liked this post, consider subscribing to the RSS feed or join us now at the IRC channels.

Pages that cross-reference this one

A Single Comment

Chris Lees said,

July 28, 2008 at 5:06 am

If the world is told “the true story”, it’s certainly not going to be your site that tells it.

What Else is New

Links 20/4/2018: Atom 1.26, MySQL 8.0

Links for the day
Links 19/4/2018: Mesa 17.3.9 and 18.0.1, Trisquel 8.0 LTS Flidas, Elections for openSUSE Board

Links for the day
The Patent Microcosm, Patent Trolls and Their Pressure Groups Incite a USPTO Director Against the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and Section 101/Alice

As one might expect, the patent extremists continue their witch-hunt and constant manipulation of USPTO officials, whom they hope to compel to become patent extremists themselves (otherwise those officials are defamed, typically until they're fired or decide to resign)
Microsoft's Lobbying for FRAND Pays Off as Microsoft-Connected Patent Troll Conversant (Formerly MOSAID) Goes After Android OEMs in Europe

The FRAND (or SEP) lobby seems to have caused a lot of monopolistic patent lawsuits; this mostly affects Linux-powered platforms such as Android, Tizen and webOS and there are new legal actions from Microsoft-connected patent trolls
To Understand Why People Say That Lawyers are Liars Look No Further Than Misleading Promotion of Software Patents

Some of the latest misleading claims from the patent microcosm, which is only interested in lots and lots of patents (its bread and butter is monopolies after all) irrespective of their merit, quality, and desirability
When News About the EPO is Dominated by Sponsored 'Reports' and Press Releases Because Publishers Are Afraid of (or Bribed by) the EPO

The lack of curiosity and genuine journalism in Europe may mean that serious abuses (if not corruption) will go unreported
The Boards of Appeal at the European Patent Organisation (EPO) Complain That They Are Understaffed, Not Just Lacking the Independence They Depend on

The Boards of Appeal have released a report and once again they openly complain that they're unable to do their job properly, i.e. patent quality cannot be assured
Links 18/4/2018: New Fedora 27 ISOs, Nextcloud Wins German Government Contract

Links for the day
Guest Post: Responding to Your Recent Posting “The European Patent Office Will Never Hold Its Destroyers Accountable”

In France, where Battistelli does not enjoy diplomatic immunity, he can be held accountable like his "padrone" recently was
The EPO in 2018: Partnering With Saudi Arabia and Cambodia (With Zero European Patents)

The EPO's status in the world has declined to the point where former French colonies and countries with zero European Patents are hailed as "success stories" for Battistelli
For Samsung and Apple the Biggest Threat Has Become Patent Trolls and Aggressors in China and the Eastern District of Texas, Not Each Other

The latest stories about two of the world's largest phone OEMs, both of which find themselves subjected to a heavy barrage of patent lawsuits and even embargoes; Samsung has meanwhile obtained an antisuit injunction against Huawei
The EPO Continues to Lie About Patent Quality Whilst Openly Promoting Software Patents, Even Outside Europe

EPO patent quality continues to sink while EPO management lies about it and software patents are openly being promoted/advocatedEPO patent quality continues to sink while EPO management lies about it (the article above is new) and software patents are openly being promoted/advocated
SCOTUS on WesternGeco v Ion Geophysical Almost Done; Will Oil States Decision Affirm the PTAB's Quality Assurance (IPRs) Soon?

Ahead of WesternGeco and Oil States, following oral proceedings, it's expected that the highest court in the United States will deliver more blows to patent maximalism
Links 17/4/2018: Linux 5.x Plans and Microsoft's 'Embrace'

Links for the day
The European Patent Office (EPO) Grants Patents in Error, Insiders Are Complaining That It's the Management's Fault

The EPO has languished to the point where patents are granted in error, examiners aren't happy, and the resultant chaos benefits no-one but lawyers and patent trolls
The European Patent Office Will Never Hold Its Destroyers Accountable

With only one in seven EPO stakeholders believing that Battistelli's pick (António Campinos) will turn things around for the better, it certainly does not seem like people are happy and there's no real hope that Battistelli will ever be held accountable for his abuses after his immunity expires
With Liars Like These...

The European Patent Office continues to lie about the Unified Patent Court (UPC) amongst other things, still revealing its reluctance to say anything which is truthful or work to repair the damage caused by Benoît Battistelli
Links 16/4/2018: Linux 4.17 RC 1, Mesa 18.0.1 RC, GNOME 3.28.1

Links for the day
IAM, Patently-O and Watchtroll (the Patent Trolls' Lobby) Try to Stop Patent Oppositions/Petitions (PTAB)

In spite of fee hikes, introduced by Iancu's interim predecessor, petitions (IPRs) at the PTAB continue to grow in number and the patent maximalists are losing their minds over it
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) is Ending Software Patents One Patent at a Time

At an accelerating pace and with growing determination, PTAB (part of AIA) crushes patent trolls and software patents; the statistics and latest stories speak for themselves
Academics and Think Tanks for Patent Maximalism

Right-wing think tanks and impressionable academics continue to lobby for patent maximalism, rarely revealing the funding sources and motivations; in reality, however, such maximalism mainly helps large (already-wealthy) corporations, monopolists, and law firms
Killing Patent Quality and Encouraging 'Covert' Software Patents Using the Buzzwords Du Jour

The epidemic of buzzwords and/or hype waves that are being exploited to dodge or bypass patent scope/limitations, as seen in Europe and the US these days
Crisis of Quality at the EPO Extends to Staff (Notably Examiners) and Management as Institutional Integrity is Severely Compromised

A rather pessimistic but likely realistic outlook for the European Patent Office (EPO), which seems unable to attract the sort of staff it attracted for a number of decades
The 'Blockchaining' of Software Patents (to Dodge the Rules/Guidelines) Now Coming to Europe

A lot of software patents are being declared invalid (or not granted in the first place); having said that, using all sorts of hype waves (like calling databases “blockchains”) firms and individuals manage to still be granted software patents and sometimes patent trolls hoard these
Links 14/4/2018: Wine 3.6, KDE Elisa 0.1

Links for the day
East Asia Should Have Adopted the Patent Strategy of South Asia, Notably India

China seems to be so interested in patent maximalism that it has lost sight of the effect on foreign investment, e.g. US/European/Taiwanese/Japanese/Korean firms operating/manufacturing in mainland China
Samsung is the 'New IBM', Sans the Trolling With Patents

The 'relic' company, IBM, loses its patent leadership (as measured using some yardstick) to Samsung, a company which is relatively calm when it comes to patent activity (unless/only when sued, as happens a lot nowadays)
David Barcelou May or May Not be a Patent Troll, But He is Certainly a SLAPPing Bully and Watchtroll is Fine With It

Like a thin-skinned person/entity (which many in the patent microcosm are), David Barcelou and Automated Transactions (“ATL”) SLAPP their critics and surprisingly enough it's Watchtroll, who has been threatened by WIPO, coming to the bully's rescue (double standards)
Links 12/4/2018: Stable New Kernels, Neptune 5.1

Links for the day
The USPTO Has a Nepotism and Lobbying Problem That Jeopardises the Rationality of US Patent Law

The influence games of Washington are spilling over to the US patent office and poisoning/harming its ability to conduct professional operations without corporate influence (from either side, both corporations and law firms)