Robin "Roblimo" Miller wrote:
>
>>
>>>
>>> Why can't we get a distro that just works?
>>>
>>
>> Get non crappy hardware. Honestly.
>
>
>
> Try installing Windows on Apple or RISC hardware, then complaining to
> Microsoft that it doesn't work. You won't get far. In fact, you
> probably won't even get a reply. And Windows user group people will
> explain to you that if you want to run Windows, you need to get
> Windows-compatible hardware. It's the same with Linux.
>
> I make sure all hardware I buy is Linux-compatible. My scanner,
> wireless gear, two digital cameras, webcam, and printer were all
> chosen at least in part because they work with Linux. Ditto the
> nVidia graphics card and Soundblaster Audigy cards in my desktop. My
> next major computer acquisition will be a video capture/editing
> workstation I'll use with software that runs on Linux (but not on
> Windows). It chose it with Linux in mind from the start, just as a
> person who wants to run the latest Mac video editing software must
> choose hardware that works with Mac OS X.
>
> Note that I can't indiscriminately install Windows, either. Windows 98
> will not work on my HP D220 desktop, period. Windows XP will -- or so
> I am told; I don't have a copy around to try, and I have had no luck
> finding a free, legal download site for this operating system,
> although I have found many for Linux. And this computer works
> flawlessly with all version of Linux I have tried on it. In fact, it
> was shipped by HP with Mandrake Linux, not Windows, so I have no right
> to complain that it doesn't work on the flavor of Windows I happen to
> have available to install.
>
> The fact that Linux works on as much hardware as it does is amazing.
> MEPIS, which is limited to x86 architecture, was tested not only by me
> and people working with Warren Woodford on the broadest range of PC
> hardware we could lay our hands on, but also by tech staff at Prentice
> Hall, the world's largest technical publisher. We found that MEPIS ran
> on a greater selection of common hardware than any other distro we had
> tested, which is why it was chosen for the "Point and Click" package.
> We can safely -- and provably -- say it works "out of the box" on over
> 90% of all mass-market PC hardware, which is pretty damn fantastic.
>
> The one place MEPIS falls much below 90% hardware coverage is on
> Winmodems, where it runs about 75%. I explicitly say in the book that
> while it is often *possible* to get a Winmodem to work that isn't 100%
> compatible, it is easier and faster to buy an external hardware modem.
> I also tell readers to accept the fact that AOL and some other ISPs
> won't work with Linux, and that they will need to switch ISPs. I also
> tell them how to find one that *will* work with Linux -- which isn't
> exactly hard, since at least 80% of all ISPs, up to and including
> giant Earthlink/Mindspring, are happy to take Linux users' money. (I
> also note the irony that AOL is a heavy Linux user internally.)
It's funny that you mention AOL. AOL had a project called Camira ,
camira was a Linux version of the ever popular aol 6.0 software that
was going to be on the vaporware AOL:/Gateway AOL internet applicance.
Which was going to to use Linux.. Dont know why they never made a Linux
client considering they ported over AIM to Linux thought Kopete and Gaim
are 100 times better.
>
> "You can't please everyone" is as true in computer software as in any
> other field. What's amusing about the people who are not pleased with
> Linux's current level of hardware compatibility is that hardly any of
> them are paying customers for any of the distribution publishers --
> but still carp about their desires not getting high priority. I
> suspect this is because they are all Liberals who believe in
> entitlements and think the rest of the world owes them a living, but
> if I go on with that thought it will need to move to the politics
> list, so I will not pursue it.
It is funny to me that hardware compatibility is such a topic. Linux
supports most hardware now. I have had to setup countless cheap pcs
with flaky no name hardware and really am surprise how little I have
hardware issues. Alsa now supports the most odd ball sound chipset.
Wireless card work great. prism chipset natively supported and most
windows only cards can work with a ndis wrapper. You have to have
some pretty far off hardware for linux not support most of your hardware.
Rob
> Bottom line: Linux is like a sturdy pickup truck with manual windows,
> a straight-six engine, and a manual transmission. It'll start fine on
> cold mornings when other, fancier cars won't, and will drive more or
> less forever with hardly any maintenance. But in return, you are going
> to find that there are no turbochargers or fancy upholstery options
> available for it, and that you have a limited selection of top-end CD
> players that will fit into its dash cutout without some sabre saw work.
>
> - Robin 'Roblimo' Miller
> Bradenton, Floriduh
>
>
>
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