Asus Express Gate

[HellionDarklord]

I have now used Asus Express Gate for the first time. I would like to talk about it here as I think this may be the most valuable tool I have seen to date. I have a question; for what it maybe worth in a forum, it looks like a self taught person like myself may in fact learn some things about how my computer software works with it's hardware. I'm attending College, and on the path to a degree in computer science. (the electronic engineering kind)

If this were turned into a teaching tool in a University I might be able to get the state to pay for my hardware!!!!! LOL (I'm disabled, but I try to think about things in the best light.:mad2

My only question is whether or not Asus Express Gate chat is like Yahoo chat, or some other disgusting place. Sorry, but I do not enjoy talking to computers unless they are going to do exactly what I tell them to. Of course that requires actual programing so I don't think anyone will ever make a computer that I will like talking to. Microsoft tried, but their program is too linear. They should try to program Paralell instructions into it in my opinion. Somehting like Nvidia's Cuda might work better. Anyways, that's enough about bots.

The main reason I want to know more about chat before using it is because it wants to install something immediately after opening. If this is normal behavior I can understand, but a little warning would have been nice. I do not want to infect an operating system built into my motherboard with a virus. I paid good money for my motherboard.

I have searched, but not found anything so far 20 minutes seems like a long time when I want to chat. If someone could please advise me further I would appreciate it. Why spend time when asking a question and moving on might be a better answer? (Don't waste time writing a reply if this is annoying; Doing that is even more annoying) ((Did I just start a fight?)) (((Successful Troll is :warn: Successful!))

Thanks,

HD

 

[Fumz]

Express Gate just allows you to access stuff before your OS loads. Chat is one of the "features" of express gate, and they call it Pidgen. It's not a way of talking to your computer, it's just another chat app... so if you want to chat, you'll need an actual person on the other end... which is why you didn't get a reply for 20 min.

 

[HellionDarklord]

Uhh you misunderstood. Perhaps I was not clear.

What I wanted to know is whether or not letting express gate install something on my computer the second it loads the chat is a good idea.

 

[Fumz]

First you must understand what Express Gate is: a mini (basic) OS that has a few features such as email, a web brower, chat and Skype, that you can access, "in 5 seconds of hitting the power button". That's the draw: 5 seconds after hitting the power button.

If you want to use Express Gate (since you already have a fully functional and very versatile OS I don't know why you would?), then you have to let Express Gate install what it needs to function; it needs to load. If you can wait the full 20 seconds for your regular OS to load, then Express Gate becomes a pointless gimmick.

It "may" be useful in certain rare situations? For example, if your hard drive dies and the replacement hasn't arrived yet, and you just have to finish that chat session... voila, problem solved... Express Gate.

No, Asus is not bundling viruses into its software.

 

[HellionDarklord]

Okay, as long as it is coming from Asus, but it doesn't say that, it only says something wants to install stuff.

The thing I find useful is all the information about the motherboard I am finding with the pre-installed links in the internet browser. Things I was having trouble finding in windows, like hardware specifics. I don't know what else Express gate is useful for, People will probably not write programs for it like with windows.

 

[Adrian]

CHAT

The additional software included with your MOBO is written as ROM, its included by ASUS to enhance the hardware. It will not infect the OS because you can utilise it while the MOBO is running in POST. Chat programs are a personal taste that one decides to use.

 

[zzz2496]

HD, ExpressGate is essentially a stripped down Linux written in a flash memory somewhere in your mainboard, and the BIOS programmers put some hot key in the BIOS so that you can load that stripped down Linux in few seconds. As for what does it installs, you need to make a picture of the request dialog so that we all can see... And there is no virus that's capable of infecting your ExpressGate OS...

zzz2496

 

[Thorsen]

First you must understand what Express Gate is: a mini (basic) OS that has a few features such as email, a web brower, chat and Skype, that you can access, "in 5 seconds of hitting the power button". That's the draw: 5 seconds after hitting the power button.

If you want to use Express Gate (since you already have a fully functional and very versatile OS I don't know why you would?), then you have to let Express Gate install what it needs to function; it needs to load. If you can wait the full 20 seconds for your regular OS to load, then Express Gate becomes a pointless gimmick.

It "may" be useful in certain rare situations? For example, if your hard drive dies and the replacement hasn't arrived yet, and you just have to finish that chat session... voila, problem solved... Express Gate.

No, Asus is not bundling viruses into its software.

I agree and to add, there are some points:

Express Gate can also be uninstalled from within Windows (edit:Correction)

Express Gate was added years ago. This was due to the current (years ago) startup times. It would usually take up to a minute to load the OS on the "regular" computers you would buy in stores. These usually had less RAM than they should and Slower CPU's than they should (but whatever). Now the difference from 5 seconds to 20 seconds is not a big jump and EG has less appeal.
{I have it on my comp, but dont use it because my computer starts up fast enough for me. Your computer might take longer to start up or you may want to preserve battery life by not loading windows to check email while at the airport. There are reasons it is good...}

Pidgen is a Chat GUI that uses your accounts from multiple chat providers like yahoo, AIM, MSN messenger, google chat etc. this allows one interface to all of your chat accounts which is easier to put into Express Gate than all of the listed services above.

I understand that you would be suspicious of the program trying to download into this OS. If you want, a good way of finding out is to write down all the information on what is trying to load and post it here and search google. If we see anything suspicious, we can root out the program and verify whether or not it is safe.

 

[HellionDarklord]

That's what I was really worried about. I am always wary of things wanting to install stuff, and not giving you an option to NOT install it without a nice little "hey we need to download something to make this run right" BEFORE the thing wants to install.