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Re: PCI modems



> I did not sya this. I just referred the MODEM HOW-TO on Linux
> Documentation Project website and gave you a section from there.
> The fact of the matter is that some of the PCI modems may work with
> linux but there are many which do not. I know for sure that 
> Rockwell modem that is shipped with Compaq Presarios does not work.

;-) No one said *you* were to blame for the statement - I was talking
about the people who wrote the HOWTO. 

> My point is that best bet may be an ISA internal modem or external 
> modem which will always work.

An ISA internal in any form has always been a bad bet, and with the
"sudden death" of ISA, all ISA based cards are now relegated to history
(as they should be). 

If you recall my articles in PCQ, I have *always* urged people to stick to
external modems for exactly the same reasons that you state.

Internal card modems used to have a price advantage, but that has
completely eroded now - and for the sake of maybe 200-300 bucks, it is not
worth to go in for an internal modem to save money.

The only excuse people can still wave to use internal modems is because of
the (slightly) reduced cabling, but frankly I have never considered that
as a very good reason.

An external modem is *the* best bet. But be aware that we can see changes
on that horizon, too. USB based modems should begin appearing in the next
few months, which will cause a sudden death for RS232 devices as well.
HP's new lineup of printers soon to be released have USB options - and
that will probably see the end of the parallel port as we know it as well.

All that remains is Linux getting decent USB support (the rudiments of
which are already available in the latest kernels) - give it a couple of
months.

Atul



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