On Sunday 23 February 2003 08:44, Robin 'Roblimo' Miller wrote:
> >The first one is easy. I know I did it I just forget what I did and how
> > after reinstalling the system after one of my attempts to solve the
> > Internet issue. How does one get Minicom to recognize the serial port
> > while maintaining all other communication recognition of existing modems.
>
> I don't know, but since it takes about 10 seconds to change Modem
> setting in KPPP (I don't bother with Minicom) it's not an issue for me.
>
This is not only an issue is a big time major issue.
First realize that servers, routers, and data storage computers account for
only 5 to 10 % of computer usage.
This means that all the server programs, Internet programs, and data storage
programs are not the norm for most computer users.
This being true what are the other 90 to 95% of computers used for?
Well if they are not used for Internet they must be used for something.
Lets see now home usage gets a big percentage but lets forget about them as in
general such people unless they are running linux are rather technically
suffocated.
The other big usage then is in business. Now if my observations are anywhere
near correct that divides into two additional distinct groups. Recall here we
have already accounted for network users so that would make three groups if
you included them.
The first group generally uses their computer for sales and marketing. These
people are generally interested in slide presentations. Wow, now does any one
recall the previous posts listing the items that Linux is deficient in .
Wasn't one of these dual monitors on a laptop. Well that is what a marketing
video projector is. Guess what that means that Linus is not suitable for the
head office of any company because some nut case says we are only going to
provide the configuration of one monitor in our Linux box sets. We will not
configure Linux to use two.
The second group of users is the engineering department. Now these people do
strange things. They not only want two monitors they add such things as
plotters scanners and heaven forbid interfaces with other meaning non linux
computers. That is where Minicom comes. Minicom plus a null modem cable is
one of the principal means of interfacing to some of these strange computers
the engineers interface with.
That raises the question of what does KPPP have to do with using the serial
port and Minicom to interface with another computer?
Nothing as far as I have been able to ascertain except one does not desire to
screw up KPPP while setting up Minicom for this usage or Minicom while
setting up KPPP.
To grasp the significance one needs to view this from an economic point of
view.
The simple point is "The relation between Linux and MS is unstable". One or
the other will defeat the other.
Right now the strong betting is MS is going to defeat Linux because of the
items previously listed and the intransitiveness in fixing them.
Recall the engineers and Minicom well these same engineers find Linux to be
completely unusable without Minicom plus of course a number of other similar
programs.
The same goes for the dual monitors and the business types.
Bluntly Linux out of the box is non usable by these two groups. Teckies can
make it work but out of the box - No.
If the two groups are not incorporated into the user base then Linux is
condemned to being a network server operating system.
Considering the way MS operates it would be completely feasible for MS to
program their desktop operating system to detect a Linux server and then not
function correctly, only functioning correctly if a MS servers is detected.
You laugh but recall the user base was never expanded to include other groups
of users and only network people use Linux.
At that point Linux fails. It is non usable by the engineers and business
types and it is non usable for the Internet.
So based on this line of thinking I would say Minicom, dual monitors, the
failure to correct the breaks in "cut & past", and a dozen other such items
are major issues. Not the insignificance they are perceived to be.
Frank
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