>
>>
>> Why can't we get a distro that just works?
>>
>
> Get non crappy hardware. Honestly.
Try installing Windows on Apple or RISC hardware, then complaining to
Microsoft that it doesn't work. You won't get far. In fact, you probably
won't even get a reply. And Windows user group people will explain to
you that if you want to run Windows, you need to get Windows-compatible
hardware. It's the same with Linux.
I make sure all hardware I buy is Linux-compatible. My scanner, wireless
gear, two digital cameras, webcam, and printer were all chosen at least
in part because they work with Linux. Ditto the nVidia graphics card
and Soundblaster Audigy cards in my desktop. My next major computer
acquisition will be a video capture/editing workstation I'll use with
software that runs on Linux (but not on Windows). It chose it with Linux
in mind from the start, just as a person who wants to run the latest Mac
video editing software must choose hardware that works with Mac OS X.
Note that I can't indiscriminately install Windows, either. Windows 98
will not work on my HP D220 desktop, period. Windows XP will -- or so I
am told; I don't have a copy around to try, and I have had no luck
finding a free, legal download site for this operating system, although
I have found many for Linux. And this computer works flawlessly with all
version of Linux I have tried on it. In fact, it was shipped by HP with
Mandrake Linux, not Windows, so I have no right to complain that it
doesn't work on the flavor of Windows I happen to have available to install.
The fact that Linux works on as much hardware as it does is amazing.
MEPIS, which is limited to x86 architecture, was tested not only by me
and people working with Warren Woodford on the broadest range of PC
hardware we could lay our hands on, but also by tech staff at Prentice
Hall, the world's largest technical publisher. We found that MEPIS ran
on a greater selection of common hardware than any other distro we had
tested, which is why it was chosen for the "Point and Click" package. We
can safely -- and provably -- say it works "out of the box" on over 90%
of all mass-market PC hardware, which is pretty damn fantastic.
The one place MEPIS falls much below 90% hardware coverage is on
Winmodems, where it runs about 75%. I explicitly say in the book that
while it is often *possible* to get a Winmodem to work that isn't 100%
compatible, it is easier and faster to buy an external hardware modem. I
also tell readers to accept the fact that AOL and some other ISPs won't
work with Linux, and that they will need to switch ISPs. I also tell
them how to find one that *will* work with Linux -- which isn't exactly
hard, since at least 80% of all ISPs, up to and including giant
Earthlink/Mindspring, are happy to take Linux users' money. (I also note
the irony that AOL is a heavy Linux user internally.)
"You can't please everyone" is as true in computer software as in any
other field. What's amusing about the people who are not pleased with
Linux's current level of hardware compatibility is that hardly any of
them are paying customers for any of the distribution publishers -- but
still carp about their desires not getting high priority. I suspect this
is because they are all Liberals who believe in entitlements and think
the rest of the world owes them a living, but if I go on with that
thought it will need to move to the politics list, so I will not pursue it.
Bottom line: Linux is like a sturdy pickup truck with manual windows, a
straight-six engine, and a manual transmission. It'll start fine on cold
mornings when other, fancier cars won't, and will drive more or less
forever with hardly any maintenance. But in return, you are going to
find that there are no turbochargers or fancy upholstery options
available for it, and that you have a limited selection of top-end CD
players that will fit into its dash cutout without some sabre saw work.
- Robin 'Roblimo' Miller
Bradenton, Floriduh
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