New BIOS

How do you make a bootable drive with netbootin for Linpus? There isn't a Linpus option...?

Thanks,
Rowantree

 

This post might help:
How do you update the Bios?

 

No...that's why I was asking. He tells you to use this netbootin to make a bootable USB. But it doesn't have an option for Linpus?

 

You want to put FreeDOS on the card making it a DOS boot disk.

Cheers.

 

Aha. OK. Thanks...

 

I have called Acer few days ago, they told me that if i experienced no problem with the machine, i won't need to update it.

 

Thanks Steven, probably gonna leave it myself until I know more of what I'm doing with Linux. My AA1 is fine as is so am in no hurry.

Cheers,
Rowantree

 

I installed 3304, but after two system hangups and a screen that's way too bright, I'm back to 3109. That's two strikes against Acer in the BIOS update ballpark for me. Screw it. The thing works well with 3109 - I'm not updating again unless absolutely necessary.

a

 

Mine came with 0.3114 installed. The many questions about Live Update and BIOS on here put me off touching anything as everything seems just fine as is. I've done the "Advanced Hack" and have been exploring but I've no inclination to start wrecking the machine.

The way some folk seem to be buying them, instantly taking them to bits etc you'd think we'd been catapulted back to the early 80s with ZX80's or something. Obviously, it's their choice, but seems a bit crazy.

What I would like, is Acer to tell me when and why to run Live Update rather than what appears to be a free for all just now or a meaningless post of new BIOS available and no other info.

If Linux wants to go mainstream (and the AA1 is a good advert) the support needs to be more people based and less geek based. They need a "Patch Tuesday".

(Also, how comes the Linux magazines are the most expensive on the shelves... seems ironic...!)

 

Exactly you've got it in one there - it's their choice. and this is exactly the reason I bought mine - it's something to tinker with.
Acer don't make you, there's no reason why you need to , you can just run it as it comes out of the box if you like.

They do already. out of the box. it just runs. Intermittently it will tell you that there's an update available and ask you if you want to install it.

They don't tell you anything about the BIOS updates. i.e. as a normal user of the device there's no need/reason or requirement for you to install a BIOS update. it just works. Fresh from the shop the device should "just work". If it doesn't and you contact Acer support they *may* find a version of the BIOS that has a fix for the specific issue you're reporting and tell you how to install and update it.

Linux is already mainstream, you just don't see all of the devices that it's running silently in. In the same way there's no reason for you to know that the OS on the Acer is Linux if you dont want to tweak it. You could just run it as a netbook that has a web browser, email and office applications without knowing or needing to fiddle with it.

but you have so much more disposable income to spare now you're not paying for windows software?

 

Hmm. So if, for example, there are security vulnerabilities, you'd rather all the bad guys knew they had until the second Tuesday of next month to get into your system, rather than it getting patched today?

Seems odd to me, but then I gave up Windows years ago!

 

Eh, not what I'm saying. All I want is a proper release frequency and/or proper info when an update is available, neither of which should be too much to ask.

I don't want to go fishing for stuff and I don't want to wonder whether to apply patches or not when you read on here loads of folk moaning about this didn't work, this doesn't work etc afterwards. Doesn't exactly boost your confidence...!

 

I can see your point; but someone has to try out the updates and prove they work - and the manufacturer will only provide updates for the installation they provided! (Of course, many of us might say the installation they provided had fairly serious faults, but that's another question!)

I'm used to another Linux version (Sidux) which is basically bleeding edge stuff only slightly tamed, so you do know you have the risk of something breaking. If someone finds something breaks, they immediately post a warning on the forums there, and the brilliant guys who put the distro together put that package on hold (the special updating facility checks a central 'hold' list before proceeding) until it's sorted. We can't quite do that with Acer Linpus - but if people were to get into the habit of flagging any issues on this forum at least the rest of us (and Acer, if they are watching) would know quickly.

At the end of the day, this is Linux, which relies on a community for its primary support, rather than an OS based on a commercial giant - you can't sue Linux, but then you can usually expect a lot of help from the community using it.

 

All of which is equally true.

Personally, so far, I'm quite charmed with my AA1. It was bought as a machine for serious work but at the same time it's nice to be using something different from Windows. I'm not quite a newbie (more of an outofdateie) as I first used Unix in 1979 (Bell Labs PDP-11's, BSD and Vax's... sigh...) so it's also quite nice to be finally using something you "grew up" with at home.

However, as an absolute minimum, if you've registered your AA1 with Acer, they should have the brains to email folk when an update is available and what it's for, how (exactly) to apply it, and so on.

So if any moderator of these rather good forums has any influence with Acer suggest it. If anyone from Acer is paying attention... why aren't you...?!

Cheers,
Rowantree

 

Daldred and Rowantree,

I definitely agree on all points raised. Linpus being the chosen as OEM/ODM OS by Acer, on my opinion, has responsibility in conjunction with Acer to give prompt after sales support to everyone. Other Linux Distros have this same option for anyone who would like to get the paid professional/commercial support or mainly the free community support. But the real problem is the slowness of support that Acer/Linpus is showing, granted that our AA1's are still on warranty. If I did customize my device with all sorts, then definitely I would not be demanding of any support from Acer or Linpus, especially if it indeed will void the warranty. There's nothing wrong of modding, of course, but for those who just want the device to run and satisfy our expectations, at least the ones that Acer (themselves) had been promoting in their site should be addressed in an prompt, adequate and satisfactory manner.


mz