On Sun, 2004-03-21 at 10:29, Paul William wrote: > I know someone who is going to buy an OS-less PC. I want to persuade him > to put Linux on it but he uses dialup and I think the computer he is > getting comes with a winmodem. Has any progress been made with > winmodems in Linux? Can you use them? How long does it take to configure > them?
Have a squiz at www.linuxant.com. The Winmodem drivers for Linux are not free (at least not for the fully functional 56K + fax version) but there are trial 14.4K versions so you can see whether it's worth buying the full version. The price for the full version is $14.95 USD (so about $25 once exchange and conversion is taken into account). I'm not sure you can determine whether your friend will be able to use his Winmodem under Linux until you actually try it out. My experience: I have a PC-Company computer running RH 7.3 (2.4.20-20.7). I have Jetstream so my only need for a modem is for fax. The computer came with a Winmodem (no discount for leaving it out). I had been running an old Microcom 28.8K external for fax. Linuxant provide pretty comprehensive, newbie-proof instructions for investigation and installation (less than an hour all in), and their driver works fine for fax (via efax-gtk) and for the very rare occasion I've needed dial-up service. I don't mind having given Linuxant my fifteen (Yank) bucks to support a worthwhile effort, to save one precious power point and to retire the occasionally baulky Microcom. =====Andrew
