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Xtra-PC scam

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  Xtra-PC scam Anonymous <nobody@remailer.paranoici.org> - 2016-09-24 07:34 +0000
    Re: Xtra-PC scam Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2016-09-24 09:54 -0700
      Re: Xtra-PC scam Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2016-09-24 12:16 -0700
        Re: Xtra-PC scam Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> - 2016-09-24 14:29 -0700

#39095 — Xtra-PC scam

linux what boots from a USB dildo
and they charge $25 for it
hahahaha

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#39104

Anonymous wrote:
> linux what boots from a USB dildo
> and they charge $25 for it

Significantly more now.  Plus shipping.

$25-80, depending on the size of the stick. 4 prices for 8G, 16, 64, and 
128.  That starts getting outrageous, or at least 'very pricey'.

The prices make it seem more 'scammy'.

Earlier articles indicate that -1- it used to be a lot cheaper -2- it is 
running a Lub derivative

There's a money-back guarantee and some support.  The fact that the 
prices are now going up quite a lot indicates they must be having some 
success.

I think that selling a linux USB and providing support is fine; the 
problem is what the optimal 'package' should be -- intended for the kind 
of person who would buy such an item instead of making their own for 
nothing.

The marketing seems to be aimed at people who have an old or broken down 
(with malware) computer, which seems like a reasonable target.

The reviews indicate the developer has taken different tacks evolving 
along the way; releasing a for-pay distro DVD or download, releasing a 
USB which purpose was for installing the linux to hdd, now a linux which 
purpose is to NOT change the hdd.

Personally I think he should stay down in the $25-30 range and a decent 
sized stick, say 16-32G, and include some kind of 'tiered' support, 
somewhat similar to the way the Robolinux guys have done:

"Telephone & Skype Tech Support is only provided to Users who have 
purchased an Extensive Optional Phone & eMail Support Package"

Robolinux eMail and Chat Support - (requires $10 donation and the 
establishment of a payment system)

Robolinux also offers to provide wireless and printer driver support or 
development for a fee.

-- 
Mike Easter

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#39123

Mike Easter wrote:

> Earlier articles indicate that -1- it used to be a lot cheaper -2- it is
> running a Lub derivative

> The reviews indicate the developer has taken different tacks evolving
> along the way; releasing a for-pay distro DVD or download, releasing a
> USB which purpose was for installing the linux to hdd, now a linux which
> purpose is to NOT change the hdd.

The stick is a modified/customized Lub installed to the USB; the Lub as 
delivered is without proprietary stuff like TrueType fonts and the Lub 
restricted extras repo items, so when the new user starts and creates an 
admin account and then accesses the internet successfully, it starts 
installing the proprietary ware when the user agrees to such as the MS EULA.

The support at the xtra-pc site is pretty good, a useful FAQ, a 
UserGuide and QuickStart .pdf/s.

Their customized distro is GPL/ed, source code available on request. 
Naturally it includes ware under other licenses, such as OO under 
Apache, Tb under Moz, Chrome/chromium, etc.

-- 
Mike Easter

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#39128

Mike Easter wrote:
> The stick is a modified/customized Lub installed to the USB; the Lub as
> delivered is without proprietary stuff like TrueType fonts and the Lub
> restricted extras repo items, so when the new user starts and creates an
> admin account and then accesses the internet successfully, it starts
> installing the proprietary ware when the user agrees to such as the MS
> EULA.

I find myself wondering about some 'strategies' of the Lub stick.

Typically, when one is booting a live USB, there is an 'initialization' 
process by which the (unknown to the .iso) hardware issues are 
characterized and solved, which occasionally requires some user input at 
the boot.

However, when one creates an install to the USB, the boot process is 
different from the live, so making a full install capable to go out to 
the 'masses' of different hardware must be tricky or potentially 
problematic.

Also, full installs potentially create some writing 'wear and tear' on 
the USB.  This xtra-pc lub is trying to make old hardware which is more 
likely USB 2 and not so much ram and not so much cpu act sprightly. So, 
how to 'decide' how to manage the 'run from ram' metrics?  Puppy Linux 
creator Barry Kauler is a maestro at that ram management strategy.

When I read discussions about how to make USB installs, I run into such 
as this discussion //entry// (from 2013):

// I recently tested a number of types of USB flash drive installs, for 
speed, using 12.04:

Full install, no swap.
Full install, swap.
Full install, separate ext2 home partition.
Full install, swap, separate ext2 home partition.
Full install, swap, separate ext2 home partition, FAT32 partition.
Persistent, casper-rw file.
Persistent, casper-rw partition.
Persistent, casper-rw + home-rw partition.
Persistent, casper-rw + home-rw partitions with Try/Install screen removed.
Iso boot, Persistent, casper-rw + home-rw partitions with Try/Install 
screen removed.

I tried again after removing journaling and adding noatime on the Full 
installs.
//


That page is informative before and after the entry I posted part above.

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2130234&p=12578569&viewfull=1#post12578569 
  Re: Choosing between Live USB and Full USB Installation

-- 
Mike Easter

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