[99791] in RedHat Linux List
Re: "Winmodems" (Support in Linux)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Ken Archer)
Tue Nov 17 01:04:28 1998
From: Ken Archer <karcher@idworld.net>
To: redhat-list@redhat.com
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 23:56:01 -0600
Resent-From: redhat-list@redhat.com
Reply-To: redhat-list@redhat.com
Why is it that we profess to be promoters of Linux for the masses, but then
advocate things that make it difficult for windows users to migrate to Linux.
Windows users are the masses. Most of them buy a new buget-priced computer
with a winmodem installed. Once they try Linux and try to log onto the net
they find out they made a mistake and we never hear from them again. I think a
Linux driver for winmodems is a great idea, but then, at my age, I am not much
of a idealistic purist. Personally, I wouldn't have a winmodem, but it sure
would have been nice to have a winmodem driver the first time I tried to use
ppp. You will find my advice is worth just about what you had to pay for it :-)
On Mon, 16 Nov 1998, Ramon Gandia wrote:
>George Lenzer wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I wanted to know if anyone here has any idea of what would go into building
>> support for Winmodems under Linux. From what little technical knowledge I
>> have, I am lead to believe that MOST popular winmodems are based on a
>> Rockwell chip. Does anyone think it would be possible to reverse engineer a
>> winmodem to get the information needed to make a winmodem driver for Linux?
>> Is Rockwell keeping the info to themselves, or is there any possibility of
>> getting enough info from them to design a driver? Lastly, would anyone be
>> interested in starting a "Winmodem driver initiative"? I am only just
>> beginning to program in C. I haven't even tackled Linux device drivers yet.
>> But, I would be willing to grow my programming skills doing something like
>> this.
>
>Anything is possible, but I doubt that you will see much interest
>in this. The reason is that Windmodems put a great performance
>hit on the cpu cycles. Why support a device that ruins the
>performance of Linux (or Windows 95 for that matter)?
>
>A regular modem can be just as cheap/cheesy and still not be
>a Winmodem. Or just go ahead and get a proper modem.
>
>Its not up to me, but I would VOTE against anyone spending the
>time and effort to write such a driver.
>
>--
>Ramon Gandia ==== Sysadmin ==== Nook Net ==== http://www.nook.net
>285 West First Avenue rfg@nook.net
>P.O. Box 970 tel. 907-443-7575
>Nome, Alaska 99762-0970 ======================= fax. 907-443-2487
>
>
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