OT: Linux flavors...

[brian at aljex.com]

Quoting Fairlight <fairlite at fairlite.com>:

> On Wed, Jul 07, 2004 at 12:47:59PM -0400, Jay Ashworth may or may not have
> proven themselves an utter git by pronouncing:
> >
> > Nope.  Avoid 9.1; it's not yet ready for prime time.  My perception of
> > the current concensus is Pro 9.0; that's what we're using with good
> > success.  The only problem I've found so far is that filePro's idea of
> > 'linux' isn't compatible with the SuSE console driver.
>
> I never had a problem.  Dropped right in and console graphics, colours, and
> keymappings worked fine on the one I handled for someone.
>
> > YOU is *nice*.  The only thing I see problems with concerns non-SuSE
> > kernel modules; these may require manual juggling when YOU updates a
> > kernel unless there's a mechanism I haven't learned yet -- I'm using
> > ndiswrapper to manage a client's laptop's Broadcom wireless card and it
> > didn't track the kernel upgrade from -226 to -231; I had to copy the
> > module manually and depmod.
>
> You mean -proprietar- kernel modules.  That's an issue with any dist, not
> just SuSE.  The problem being that many vendors only seemed to release
> against RH's specific kernel patches, which does one little good indeed.
> But I always advocate avoiding hardware that requires proprietary drivers
> -anyway-.  Even if the support is there, the timing usually sucks in
> comparison to how quickly you need to upgrade for security.

Of course, but that's easier said than done there pastor Mark. :)
Their use of a broadcom card that needs something very do-it-yourself like
ndiswrapper is not necessarily the result of ignorance of other cards that are
better supported. My laptop has a built-in broadcom card too, 125 mbit thanks
to the latest driver update, and it requires ndiswrapper too. (aka: ndisulator
in freebsd) and I certainly knew about better supported cards when I baught it.

So much else about the machine is desirable, and unique, that in the real world
you just have to accept the realtek nic and the broadcom wi-fi and the conexant
winmodem. I mean, use a cardbus card that sticks out and must be
shipped/unshipped every time you pull the machine out, when there is a great
card with outstanding antenna built-in? Forget it!

Of course you should be aware of compatibility issues and at least try to head
them off difficulties if it's possible by simply choosing a different machine
at buy-time, but don't make it sound like it's just a simple matter of a little
forethought.




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