Of all people to write this..
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| vainrveenr Feb 21, 2008 3:34 PM EDT |
From the review piece itself
Quoting: The bad news is "pretty good" means you may still have to compile and manually install drivers, and perform other manual tweakages. Just like the good old days. ...and a previous "concern" on a wireless adapter's configuration headache, 'Giving up on Linux wireless with the Airlink 101 AWLL3028' at http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/99268/index.html ...and recently from 'Hardware Compatibility Sites: Does anyone do it right? ' at http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/99713/index.html#thread... From this piece Quoting: One almost unavoidable problem with using an operating system that is not used by the majority of people is compatibility, specifically hardware compatibility. While Linux supports an amazing number of devices out of the box and chances are if you put Linux on any random computer it will, for the most part, work, there are still many cases where having information about hardware compatibility can be useful. What is the the main point here? Same as it was before, and as it remains. Little clear & concise Linux support for hardware compatibilty --- and am even intentionally INCLUDING the examples of webcams here! Yes, a whiner here on going through such configuration-hoops (from within http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/tutorials/6463/1/) as listed at - http://mxhaard.free.fr/index.html - http://linux-uvc.berlios.de/ - http://www.saillard.org/linux/pwc/ The "golly, gee real-cool" goes away the second time a partially unsupported webcam fails after trying to follow the dozen or so listed steps (in exact order) and having to sudo a few hoops to at least TRY to get these to work! Maybe one should follow the Bargain-Basement 3-Step Newegg Rule. 1. Buy the lowest cost device required, which MAY support Linux. 2. Try installing this using the clearest listed instructions. 3. If these instructions omit necessary steps or are just too time-consuming/complex to follow, then try returning the device to Newegg and just live without it! |
| dinotrac Feb 21, 2008 6:06 PM EDT |
What the H-E double sticks is up your posterior entrance? You're ticked off at Carla because she sees no reason to dance along the rooftops? At this point, Carla's cred is way ahead of yours, especially if you can't stand a little honesty in the articles. |
| flufferbeer Feb 22, 2008 8:03 AM EDT |
@vv specifically,
Interesting that you should quote the Linux HW Compatibility Sites critique from Linux Loop. BTW, the direct URL for this is http://www.linuxloop.com/news/2008/02/19/linux-hardware-comp...
I found that linuxprinting.org is a great example of just about a perfect site fulfilling the Linux Loop critique, and it's as close as possible to a must-have for configuring printers to work in Linux.
As applied to choosing a good printer beforehand, maybe something similar to your Bargain-Basement 3-Step Newegg Rule.taken together with using linuxprinting.org-recommended printers, would be a decent idea to follow forward. @tc and @vv, You both brought some quoted supporting evidence for your opinions and experiences without resorting to blatant insults. Nice to see that SOME people out there are still trying to "talk the talk and walk the walk" to help others ;) Maybe one of you (not me yet) or someone else reading this (other than dt of course) will play a major role in creating more perfect Linux hardware compatibility sites? Methinks it's a great way to "put up or shut up". |
| tuxchick Feb 22, 2008 8:40 AM EDT |
I am confused by both flufferbeer and vainrveenr and am missing whatever points you're making. Maybe I need more coffee, but I don't get it. You're welcome to clarify. If you're wanting an up-to-date Linux hardware compatibility database that is complete and perfect and easy, well yeah that would be nice. My own tactic is to continually pester manufacturers and retailers to state how well their products are supported in Linux. It's their responsibility- geez, like they can't hire a teenager to test things, or cooperate with FOSS devs who are doing their work for them? If you look around, you'll notice a lot more hardware vendors are claiming Linux support. The Bargain-Basement 3-Step Newegg Rule is bad advice, unless your goal is to deliberately seek out and test hardware for its level of Linux support, and then report your findings where other people will benefit from them. When you want something that is supported in Linux, wise users don't buy the cheapest thing and hope for the best. There is a whole Internet to search for information, including customer feedback in online stores, manufacturer's web sites, and the forums, mailing lists, and Wikis for every Linux distribution. Oh, and articles like mine, that give you all the resources you need in one handy-dandy location. |
| dinotrac Feb 22, 2008 9:32 AM EDT |
>The Bargain-Basement 3-Step Newegg Rule is bad advice Oh, TC, it pains me to differ with you, if only by a smidge. I would add an asterisk to the bargain basement rule -- especially in the area of wi-fi. Products seem to change so frequently under the covers without changing external id that going for the bottom of the price line lets you take a chance without betting the farm. I've donated one USB dongle to a friend, which ain't too awful at 9.95. |
| tuxchick Feb 22, 2008 10:19 AM EDT |
Dino, we grant you permission to differ. You're right that "it depends". Usually I want something that works and no backtalk; I'm not interested in wasting time and money on "bargain" items that may end up costing more in both time and money. You can find out the sekkrit chipsets on wi-fi devices by looking up their FCC filings- they have to disclose all technical data in those. It's somewhere on http://www.fcc.gov/ ; when I find the link I'll post it. |
| dinotrac Feb 22, 2008 11:42 AM EDT |
TC -- FCC filings - sexy! Still makes a problem when you're in, say the TigerDirect outlet store, and looking at boxes. |
| tuxchick Feb 22, 2008 6:24 PM EDT |
OMG, you go into stores? But...germs! I would adore to have useful information on the boxes. I think the tech world is from the Planet Bizarro; such things are forbidden. |
| dinotrac Feb 23, 2008 3:31 AM EDT |
>OMG, you go into stores? 2:00 in the afternoon. Computer piece breaks. Scenario A: Drive to TigerDirect, buy new part. back in business by 4:00-7:00 PM, depending on part. Scenario B: Order from Newegg, back in business the next afternoon if I get order in by shipping cutoff and add $20.00 or whatever for next-day shipping. Stores are where it's at when stores are where you're at. |
| gus3 Feb 23, 2008 9:17 AM EDT |
Quoting:Stores are where it's atint where_its_at(int it) { /* do not use #define due to multiple eval side-effects! */ return ((it == a_cold) || (it == the_flu)); } |
| Steven_Rosenber Feb 23, 2008 11:21 AM EDT |
I'm pretty much of the mind that figuring out what works GREAT beforehand and then buying only that -- even if it must be gotten used (via eBay ...) is the way to go, especially for wireless adapters. While my Orinoco WaveLAN PCMCIA card doesn't do WPA, it does do standard-issue 802.11b with every single Linux kernel I've tried, and I also confirmed that it will work with NetBSD. The other gear-acquisition philosophy: buy low and hold. My extended rant about the Airlink 101 AWLL3026 USB wireless adapter being fairly well supported but the AWLL3028 not will probably be remedied in a year's time. That's what a $9.95 WiFi device will do -- get into many, many hands, some of whom will be P.O'd enough to do something about it. Failing that, Realtek could fix its 8187 driver to include 8187b (or, HORRORS, write and release a new driver). It's been a few weeks, I've moved on, and I'm not so put out. Meanwhile, when I get a few sheckles to rub together, I'll find a wireless adapter that does work ... and I might even fix my broken PCMCIA port (those flimsy pins don't like it when errant screws get lodged in there and unwittingly press them in all different directions). Hey -- let's all complain about how a $500-$1,500 item (i.e. a laptop computer) is pretty much an unrepairable, disposable item. |
| Bob_Robertson Feb 24, 2008 8:51 AM EDT |
> let's all complain about how a $500-$1,500 item (i.e. a laptop computer) is pretty much an unrepairable, disposable item. Did I ever mention how I had to send my Vaio in for hardware repair just to clean the fans? I'm not looking forward to my mother's HP needing a cleaning, I cannot even find what look like screws! |
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