[Mageia-discuss] Wish List

[Marc Paré]

Le 2010-10-03 13:02, André Machado a écrit :
>
>> With laptops it's unfortunately not the users' choice, unless the user adds
>> an external modem in addition to the in-built winmodem (which wouldn't be
>> ideal), so I agree, support for winmodem would be still very useful.
>
> Not only laptops. Many lay users buy magazine PCs that come with this
> winmodens and don't know differences behind them and a hardmodem.
>
> Also, I've seen bizarre things, like distros where the dialer is not installed
> and you need to download it from Internet. But how the user will download the
> dialer if the Internet does not work? No! Dial-up dialer should come installed
> as default.
>
> Some softmodens are supported, such like these models:
>
> http://wiki.debian.org/slmodem [Sorry, Mandriva link is too long]
>
> But the point is that the most, like PCTel, Lucent and Motorolla, has licenses
> that restrict distribution - so include these drivers on Mageia can be illegal
> - and some drivers requires compile a kernel module to work - what not aways
> works. To lay user, can be very difficult compile and load a kernel module. So,
> we must pay close attention to this bit detail. Too many users what doesn't use
> Linux can begin to use it if the distro has this support. Too many of them still
> with a dual boot Win-Linux because of this.
>

Another good point. I don't believe that in the case of KDE, the kppp is 
installed by default. However, it is on the Mandriva installation disk. 
But I can see how this could be a little confusing for the new user.

As for proprietary winmodem drivers, there is nothing that Mageia could 
really do as drivers are normally not allowed to be distributed by third 
parties. But, like you mention, some softmodems are supported. I guess 
it all depends on how lucky/unlucky you are when you buy your desktop or 
laptop computer. On the positive side however, the trend for major 
computer builders this year is that they have been moving away from 
"windows" only modem/ethernet cards. They are including more OS 
inclusive hardware. Although, I believe that this has also a lot to do 
with the Kernel version used by Mageia as some of the OSS drivers are 
included in the kernel.

So to re-cap this wish:

-- Mageia should be a little more sensitive to users who have telephone 
hookups by providing and installing the tools right at the very first 
install. There should be no downloading of software at all if you are 
setting up a dial-up connection in the MCC (Mageia Control Centre)

-- Mageia should also try to be sensitive to the telephone hook-ups by 
including the necessary tools for installing winmodems/softmodems.

Cheers

Marc