Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 15:12:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Annelise Anderson <andrsn@andrsn.stanford.edu> To: David Johnson <djohnson@acuson.com> Cc: Kastaki <kastaki@ganbert.com>, freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: MODEM & THE COMPLETE FREEBSD Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.10.10110111507540.16465-100000@andrsn.stanford.edu> In-Reply-To: <3BC5DC22.E20981F1@acuson.com>
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On Thu, 11 Oct 2001, David Johnson wrote: > Kastaki wrote: > > > The first few chapters are good in installing the OS, but the author needs > > to understand that most readers (like me) are coming from other platforms. > > The target audience for the book is not the newbie. It may be geared > towards those new to FreeBSD, but it is not geared towards those new to > Unix, Unix-like systems, and the intricacies of hardware. In short, it > is an "advanced" book on FreeBSD. > > > I still like to know a simple fact - why is it impossible for FreeBSD to > > work with Internal Modems (especially WinModems). > > For the same reason it's nearly impossible to any non-Windows system to > work with WinModems. (FreeBSD has no problems with internal *component* > modems). > > WinModems are lobotomized devices. You don't want them EVEN IF you are > using Windows. All of the functions you normally think a modern modem > performing are not performed in the hardware, but in software. (Imagine > if your FPU (floating point unit) on your CPU did nothing at all except > forward all instructions to a software floating point emulator). > > WinModems are one of the greatest frauds ever perpetrated by the > computer industry. The only reason they can legally get away with > selling is because technically they are still MOdulators/DEModulators. > The situation would be similar to a video card manufacturer shipping a > "3D Enhanced Graphics" card and running all 3D rendering in software. > > (sorry for the rant, winmodems are one of my pet peeves) > Someone asked me how one determines whether or not one has a winmodem. (Macs sometimes have the equivalent of winmodems also.) Of course they don't work, but the user doesn't know for sure whether it's because it's a winmodem or because ppp or whatever is not properly set up--and thus doesn't know whether or not to give up. I also know of no question I can ask a sales person that they have a chance of answering to determine whether the modem in a laptop is a "winmodem." Annelise -- Annelise Anderson Author of: FreeBSD: An Open-Source Operating System for Your PC Available from: mall.daemonnews.org and amazon.com Book Website: http://www.bittreepress.com/FreeBSD/introbook/ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
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