Re: Upgrading from XP to Linux
Al Getz wrote:
> In any case, im pretty sure this isnt a winmodem because there's too
> many LSI chips on board. Also, the name 'winmodem' isnt a good choice,
> of words, because some people call some modems winmodem just because
> they dont work with anything other then windows. The usual class of
> winmodems i could see working with any op sys, with the proper software
> driver. It must be then that Linux doesnt have many drivers for this
> kind of modem (the 'filter' modem).
"Winmodem" is a trademark, owned by 3Com/USR. 3Com's "Winmodems" (tm)
most of them, at least, do have a DSP chip or two, which does part of the
work.
Neverthless, "winmodem" is used generically to refer to anything which
utilizes the computer's CPU to do some or all of the work that was traditionally
done by actual modem hardware. Taken to the extreme, a couple pieces of copper
wire
could be called a "winmodem", if they were hooked to a computer which was
able to separate the tones from the line noise.
Linux indeed doesn't have drivers for some of these, for several
reasons. One is that Microsoft strongly discourages manufacturers from
releasing drivers or specs for these. If only Windows can use these
cheap "modems", then that means that a computer running Windows can sell
for <> $50 cheaper than if it were running another OS.
Another is that a lot of Linux users are more technically inclined than
yer average Windows user, so they realize the benefits of having an actual
hardware modem. There's little incentive to write software to operate what
they consider to be a toy.
> Maybe i should try to get the Network card going first. I'll call
> my isp this week to find out if they support Linux. Did you say
> you had gotten some software for pppoet or something?
There's PPOE, I believe, but I can't get DSL or cable here, so I
can't help with that. As for your ISP, see my previous post about
"support" :)
Irv
|
Not Categorized, Please Help
|
|
