Xtra-PC

http://www.xtra-pc.com  --- I just saw this posted on Facebook,and was wondering what distro of Linux they are using- How can they get away with charging 20 bucks for this little USB stick when Linux is free. They do agree to supply the source code upon request,but I don't see how they are getting away with this!!!

 

was wondering what distro of Linux they are using

Based on Lubuntu.

You can install any Linux to usb like that, Puppy is best.

 

* Xtra-PC requires your CPU to have Physical Address Extensions, or PAE.
PAE is provided by Intel Pentium Pro and above CPUs, including all later Pentium-series processors (except most 400 MHz-bus versions of the Pentium M).
Pentium M and Celeron M do not support PAE so Xtra-PC cannot load on systems with these processors.

  And they want you to pay for it?

Hint

It is easy to install fake-PAE and then upgrade the kernel

Edited by NickAu, 02 July 2015 - 10:44 PM.

 

  And they want you to pay for it?

 Yeah- i just about fell out of my chair-  if what they are doing is legal, I wish I had thought of the idea,because they are going to make quite a profit off off ignorant PC users. I can't imagine them not being sued for it, I don't even know who would sue them,seeing that Linux is open source- What?- Did they make up their own distro,and put their own GUI on it? I think it is pretty unethical to do this. I can see the lawyers jumping on this,if they haven't already done so.

And yes- I have puppy Linux on a DVD and a USB stick,should a situation arise where i would need it. You are the one that introduced me to Puppy Linux! A great little OS!

$19.99 for a 16GB flash drive is a bit expensive (about 2x-3x the normal price) , but this does come with an operating system pre-installed, and 24/7 support 365 days a year, so depending on the quality of support I think that sounds like a price that's more than fair to the customer. Plenty of people/companies sell Linux discs and flash drives, the key is that they are either selling a product of theirs that is based on Linux (so it's not actually the free software they are selling), or they are selling the medium, all perfecly legal, and very helpful for people can't download it themselves because their internet is too slow, or they have bandwidth caps. If most companies prices weren't so expensive I would probably buy an entire Debian 8 disc set, which is something I would never consider downloading. For example the 13 disc set for Debian 8.1 64bit is $139.95 on OSDisc (currently on sale for $34.95), but even the sale price is more than I'm willing to spend.

 

$19.99 for a 16GB flash drive is a bit expensive (about 2x-3x the normal price) , but this does come with an operating system pre-installed, and 24/7 support 365 days a year, so depending on the quality of support I think that sounds like a price that's more than fair to the customer. Plenty of people/companies sell Linux discs and flash drives, the key is that they are either selling a product of theirs that is based on Linux (so it's not actually the free software they are selling), or they are selling the medium, all perfecly legal, and very helpful for people can't download it themselves because their internet is too slow, or they have bandwidth caps.

I did not know that- this is the first I have heard of it- I was just surprised to see it advertised on Facebook or TV. There are so many bogus products out there for 1-step fix it flash drives- as in Windows Cleaners Etc.,I was just suspicious-

Have a look on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=linux+os&_frs=1

Edited by NickAu, 03 July 2015 - 03:00 AM.

Have a look on ebay.

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=linux+os&_frs=1

I've looked on there before, but I'm not thrilled at the idea of buying home-burned disks (I only trust checksums to a point), and even if I found a good ebay store (instead of just some person) feedback ratings on Ebay aren't a trustworthy indicator when it comes to tech purchases, at least not in my eyes. I'm only willing to buy Linux discs from a "reputable" source, and most charge more than I'm willing to pay, after all they need to make money for it to be worth their while.

 

(I only trust checksums to a point),

Me too

I ordered the 16gb version on Oct11 2016  ,for 45USD (total), shipped on Oct13 , 2016 and received in Greece as a registered shipping on Oct 27th , 2016.

It was bought to be used on an asus Eee 1015bx laptop.

I tried the usb device the same night Ireceived, first I followed the  simple instructions. There was no way to boot via this usb even if it was not difficult to change the booting preferences of the laptop.Then I read in the FAQ and the knowledge base what to do if  I can't boot via this usb. Again I failed. Then on Oct 28th I asked for help , as a 2932 ticket in their ''support centre'

A lady's name appeared as the responsible for my query .Then I waited and waited and waited and waited.... for help.On Nov3rd I asked what is happening, why no one do answer (ticket 3226) and then someone GARY appeared only to say that he will delete this query as it is for the same issue and dissapeared. Then I waited again  and again and again until Nov8th when with a new ticket 3521 wondered where is their support .Then mr GARY appeared saying  that MOST pcs after 2004 must be able to use the device and that I should search in the internet  (relative blogs)to find a way  to boot my asus. If I want to send it back then he must receive it (from Greece to Usa registered shipping) in 3 days maximum as the upper limit to receive in his hands is 30 days from the day I ordered that, no matter where I live.

I believe that is a very very very... lucrative machine, a fine way to fish foolish like me. Where are my rights? what's your  opinion ?

Edited by dim-io, 09 November 2016 - 07:29 PM.

Hi dim-io and to BC (Bleeping Computer) and to the Linux & Unix Section, we hope you will enjoy your stay here!

Your story sounds like a very unsatisfactory effort on the part of the company.

I cannot advise you on legal rights, nor on consumer advocacy (rights).

However if you wish to go ahead and install Linux on your Asus, you could start a new Topic of your own here, and someone will be along to help.

Best wishes

Wizard

They look to be using SanDisk Cruzer flash drives (I know this, 'cos I use a lot of these myself). The base model (8 GB) is a USB 2.0 SanDisk Cruzer 'Fit' nano drive; the other two (16 GB & 64 GB) are SanDisk Cruzer 'Ultra' USB 3.0 'nano' models. These latter two are known to be 'dodgy' when it comes to booting, by the way..!!

I feel they could, perhaps, have done a wee bit of research and chosen better drives. The choice was probably dictated solely by price; they're known to be some of the cheapest for their physical size.

There's no getting away from the fact that this is a bit 'naughty'. However, you've got to bear in mind that for the average PC user, who's probably never heard of Linux (or has even the faintest idea of just what you can do with it), this isn't really that bad a deal to 'rescue' an old piece of hardware. Yes, it's been done in exactly the same way that most of us are capable of, with one important difference; somebody else has done all the 'techie' stuff, and the end-user merely has to plug it in and use it.

For many non-'tech minded' people, that probably sounds like a good deal! Here's the purchase price of the 'base', 8 GB model on eBay for comparison:-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SanDisk-8GB-USB-SD-CZ33-Cruzer-Fit-8G-USB-2-0-Flash-Drive-SDCZ33-008G-Retail-/142089997324?hash=item2115394c0c:g:5XMAAOSwdzVXtgsU

Many people would probably quite happily pay $20 for somebody else to do all the other stuff for them, over and above the initial purchase price of the drive. And let's face it; they wouldn't be the first folks to make money out of Linux. Even open-source needs to be funded somehow.....

Mike. 

Edited by Mike_Walsh, 10 November 2016 - 07:36 AM.

Thanks wizardfromoz for the wellcome, since I paid via paypal asked their help on Nov9th, the seller had the obligation to support me and give me time to send it back, They treated me as fraudsters

Many thanks Mike_Walsh for all your support.Since I use chromebooks for many years and this little pc (ASUS Eee 1015BX) was hybrid(windows7 and chromium) I'm not so unfamiliar with linux.

It's bios was simple and tried any option according their user manual(electronic) and their knowledge base  but their 16gb usb was not bootable for me , they knew that and that's the reason that never helped me even a little, MANY THANKS AGAIN and sorry for my English 

 

... and sorry for my English

Not at all, dim-io. Your English is much better than my Greek.

I am glad PayPal stepped up for you, that is reassuring.

We look forward to you having more fruitful adventures with Linux

Wizard

It looks like that OS is a mix of LXLE and Ubuntu (Lubuntu) 

@Mike_Walsh What you said about the "techie stuff" that kind of irks me because i spent 19+ years learning what i know. and then someone comes along and does pretty much the same thing we all have done for years. to me that's a problem because if somehow it Breaks, based on what the OP had said it sounds like they'd leave one to deal with it on their own.

PayPal is really good about refunds.

with what wiz had said, if you wanted to install on your own, we are here.

@dim-io No worries about the language barrier, wiz's greek isn't great and my latin is rusty haha! we can figure it out

And Welcome to BC!