Are you telling me that by hooking up an external modem through a serial port, it's not taking any CPU cycles? Somehow, something in my computer has to read that port and process the data to get it to my browser, email, or hard drive. It might not use as much CPU cycles, but it uses some. Most people using winmodems are coming from windows. To tell a prospective new linux user to shell out $70 for an external (or internal) modem to run their "free" software won't win many converts. It's kind of like Microsoft offering free beta versions of software if you pay $19.95 for shipping and handling.
I don't see how a design choice to minimize cost by utilizing excess CPU cycles is somehow parasitic or evil. For the record, I did some tests of using my winmodem and an external modem. For all practical purposes, the throughput was identical (neither reached 53K due to phone line quality). Neither seemed to slow down my system 450mhz AMD K62 196MB RAM. If someone is running Mandrake, then they are running a minimum of a pentium processor. Every adapter/peripheral in the computer uses CPU cycles to work. For the average newbie, using a winmodem to surf the web and check email is not going to be a resource hog for the CPU. If the CPU is so slow that a winmodem is a burden for it, then the $70 for a new modem would be better spent on a new motherboard/cpu. I sometimes wonder if the Linux community came up with linmodems instead of Windows, if there would be such an uproar over them. Yes, some of them can be a pain to get them working, but there are many, many winmodems that function quite well under Linux. Joe On Monday 01 October 2001 11:58 pm, you wrote: > You've actually missed the point about "winmodems". It's not that they > need a driver to work (If they'll work at all). The problem with them is > that they shift the work that normally done by the modem, over to the > main system processor, thus sucking valuable CPU cycles. > > They're parasitic by design, trash the blood suckers, and buy a real > modem that does it's own work. > > Ric > > "Arthur H. Johnson II" wrote: > > Here here! Good post! I have a Lucent and it works Awesome on my Duron > > 800 at home. It even worked decently find with 166 and 200 Pentiums. > > Some of us have lives and need to pinch pennies. > > > > On Fri, 28 Sep 2001, Joseph Braddock wrote: > > > There sure is a lot of talk about modems and winmodems on this list. > > > At times it sounds like a religious argument! But, I think we do a > > > diservice to people by telling them to run out and buy a true modem > > > whenever they pose a question about a winmodem. > > > > > > While it is true that a real modem (external or internal) is usually > > > easier to setup/install. The fact is that many of these people already > > > have the winmodem in their formerly Windows machines. > > > > > > Winmodems can be a good choice, particularly for the cost concious. I > > > know that not all winmodems work with Linux, but many based on Lucent > > > or PCTel chipsets do. The only problem is that you have to install a > > > driver (usually open-source) for them. > > > > > > If having to install the driver is what causes a problem in > > > recommending them, well, then, we better quit using NVida and most > > > other graphic cards, numerous other IO adapters and the like. > > > > > > Ironically, for people coming from Windows, having to install a driver > > > for a winmodem isn't a show stopper, since most winmodems need drivers > > > installed under windows. (Now compiling the driver, etc. might be > > > intimidating). > > > > > > I guess, what I'm trying to say is that if someone request help in > > > choosing what kind of modem to purchase, buy all means, recommend a > > > hardware modem. But if someone states they have such and such a modem > > > and need help installing it, telling them to go out an buy another > > > modem doesn't answer their question and really isn't of much help. > > > > > > Joe > > > > -- > > Arthur H. Johnson II > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > The Linux Box > > http://www.linuxbox.nu > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? > > Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
