Darkelve Posted October 19, 2003 Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 Does anybody know about this: - They advertise on following page that mandrake windows can run on the same computer, but include a screenshot of Mandrake running VMware. http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/92/discovery I think this creates the false illusion VMware comes with the Discovery Edition. While judging from following page, it clearly does not: http://www.mandrakesoft.com/products/92/comparison (also, I suspect they are just demos of VMware and Win4Lin in the powerpack, not the "real stuff"). I'm not saying they should throw such an expensive product like VMware almost for free into their distro (although it would be really cool), but it's not good to create false expectations either. (or am I just making too much fuss about it?) What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvc Posted October 19, 2003 Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 false advertising! It's not the first time they've done it. Probably not he last. They know most, even though it may be a major reason to BUY, will not hassle with returning it when they discover the false adv. I would, and it's a major reason why I WILL NOT JUMP to support ML anymore with $, even if I could. They simply should not have that statement and screeny on that page....period! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero0w Posted October 19, 2003 Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 A comment should be attached that such function is achieved via commercial add-on apps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted October 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 A comment should be attached that such function is achieved via commercial add-on apps. Great point! As a Mandrake support site, shouldn't we report this to Mandrake? It just feels wrong, plus it may harm their reputation (I know I was disappointed). Darkelve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystified Posted October 19, 2003 Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 We are an unofficial Mandrake site and are not connected with Mandrakesoft. I don't think they'd listen to us. :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted October 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 We are an unofficial Mandrake site and are not connected with Mandrakesoft. I don't think they'd listen to us. :wink: perhaps, but maybe we can make them listen to their own minds and hearts... :? (goes all mellow) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted October 19, 2003 Report Share Posted October 19, 2003 They been doing this for ages. They advertised on 9.1 plays all your DVD's .(French Boxset).. which is close but you still has to download libdvdcss That was stage 1 Now stage 2 is it CAN do this too (very small print oh with 299 worth of commercial app. Like any linux can't This is just a progression from what we Europeans view as unacceptable advertising... i'm sure in a US context it's not so bad cos consumers are used to being misled and automatically correct for it wheras in Europe we tend to beleive they can't say anything which isn't true. Just a cultural difference really.... but not one Im happy about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coverup Posted October 20, 2003 Report Share Posted October 20, 2003 Not that I am defending Mandrake, but let's be fair - they only advertise compatibility. That ad simply says that if you run Linux, you can run Windows applications at the same time which is an important feature for beginners and advance users. Although OO.o or SO constantly improve on their compatibility with MS Office, the differences will be there. Take custom macros in Excel docs, does anybody have them running properly in the OO.o? In regard to how one can run Windows applications, VMware is one (and the best, IMHO) way to do this. But there are cheaper solutions, including wine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted October 20, 2003 Report Share Posted October 20, 2003 This is a cultural issue. Ill bet you are on the west side of the atlantic! This is an issue for me becuase I expect a box to say what can and cannot be done EXACTLY. If something takes 'extra addons' I expect it to say so. Saying Can ..... is a subtle getout. For me if a buy a commercial DVD player that says plays all zones then it damned well better, out of the box without me doing anything. IF I have to download something etc. IT SHOULD SAY can be multiregion with a downloadable pach, requires a CD writer (and undoubtably win98/....) to get this functionaility. I know US and Canadian advertising often doesn't take this view. Its not a case of right and wrong, its a case of what consumers expect when they compare two products. If you buy a product based on a claim it CAN do something and it doesn't then your dissapointed. One reason I think this is bad is that people will buy the product expecting one thing and then be met with non delivery. Wine certainly doesn't support ALL windows programs, VMWARE is better but is still restricted. Not that its VMWARE's or Linux in generals fault if windows tries to use HW directly!!! Hence its better IMHO as a European consumer to stick with what it can do out of the box and make sure any additions are clearly labelled as such with proce tabs attached!!!! If you buy a $50 linux distro then find out its $299 to make it do what it said then your likely to be very dissapointed. If you buy a $299 distro and then have to pay $50 your likely to be less dissapionted, even though the overall price is the same :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coverup Posted October 20, 2003 Report Share Posted October 20, 2003 I am on the east coast ... of Australia :). That's not the point however. To the Mandrake's defence, they include Crossover office in the Discovery, so at least MS Office applications can be run and that's what they were trying to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted October 20, 2003 Report Share Posted October 20, 2003 This looks a lot like they are saying it comes with vmware!!! It doesn't say it does, it says run your windows apps ... then it has a nice thumbnail that gives this. Now in my book, even "a this shows vmware a seperate commericallly available pack" warning would be nice.... This is obviously misleading.... This then begs the question, if you need club membership for FlashPlugins why is this ??? Presumably I can get them from Flash themselves ??? Or ... am I being paranoid,,,, might Mandrake change the file locations thus making it difficult to install from a RH RPM or source ??? I seriously hope not.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted October 20, 2003 Report Share Posted October 20, 2003 Can't edit from work it times out. what I mean is i don't like adversting with - John's Meat* Pies. Buy them down at XXX Now. And then underneath in very small writing.... * John's meat pies don't actually contain meant, but soya protein with a meat flavouring* Even smaller letters :wink: The meat flavouruing doesn't actually even taste much like meat, more klike vegemite but what do you expect for 32c a pie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted October 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2003 To the Mandrake's defence, they include Crossover office in the Discovery, so at least MS Office applications can be run and that's what they were trying to say. well, then should include a screenshot of that instead, point remains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coverup Posted October 20, 2003 Report Share Posted October 20, 2003 I must agree with you, Gowator. On this side of the globe, we know that it's the fineprint that matters. As for misleading advertising and RPMs availability, I am no longer rushing to buy the new PowerPack like I did before (I bought 7.1 and 8.2). 60 days up, and anything you need (except for security updates) is for club members only. Even security updates are available for one year only, no matter how much you spent on the product. Why bother spending on powerpacks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted October 20, 2003 Report Share Posted October 20, 2003 Seems like misleading advertising is fast becoming a global phenomena. I think the dissapointmernt comes from having it done with Linux. I kinda got used to it on our shampoo is better than their shampoo. When M$ are giving all the FUD about linux it is hard to remain constant particualrly since things like css are only artificial barriers. I recently ran into a problem with Wireless. It seems that US federal regulations forbid a user being able to modify the power of wireless devices.... seems sensible ..but the result is that the drivers can't be open source else a user can rewrite it to use more power. So then we have a probelm, Linux can't provide these drivers as is.... AND sell into the US. The dangerous part of this is where the distro manf go. For instance Mandrake (Duval interview) expressedthe US a a big market for Mandrke therefore they are likely to want to keep selling in the US. Suse might decide their European and worldwide market is more important (for instance) Then you end up with the whole US/rest of the world stuff like in Debian. I'm not pretending to know an answer here....just pointing out a problem that ultimately comes back to advertsing.... Do they advertise that US users will not be able to use certain wireless network cards or not. Do they advertise that DVD only works with downloaded software which (may) be illegal in the US or not??? To me this vmware thing is just following on that trend!!! Following not getting sued for claiming DVD playback from the box mandrake seems to have decided that slightly misleading the consumers is OK. So rather than put on the * (it doesn't without a download) or *(once you spend another 399) they haven't bothered. In a way they are competing against MS and MS has no problem misleading its userbase. So they have to choose HOW to compete against MS disinformation..... Being niaeve I prefer to think they (the whole linux community) will stick with honesty and advertise: John Kinda Meat Flavoured Pie .... not John's Meat* Pies..... caveat emptor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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