[lug] Modems are Evil

[Chris Riddoch]

Hi, everyone.

It turns out that a large variety of modern computers don't have ISA
ports, and those that do don't necessarily have BIOSes intelligent
enough to handle them.  Non-winmodems tend to be ISA, and virtually
every PCI modem out there is a winmodem.  Not that all winmodems are
completely unsupported (www.linmodems.org); I've got a PcTel PCI modem
that actually has a Linux driver, but unfortunately, it's one of those
drivers that will do just good enough to get it to dial before it
hangs the entire system.

That said, it looks like the best options for Linux folks still
depending on modems are probably external serial (non-USB) modems, as
it seems from my research that they're far less likely to be winmodems
(though it's not completely unheard of...)

I've acquired a large stack of modems that completely refuse to work
on my desktop.  Presumably the right combination of jumper settings,
BIOS settings, and incantations would get my ancient 56k ISA to work
in the machine, but lacking paperwork on the thing and the sheer
number of possible combinations of settings (in all relevant places)
have left me quite frustrated with the thing.  I'm sick of fighting
with it.  This didn't *used* to be this hard.

Got a spare external serial-connected 56k non-winmodem you'd be
willing to part with?

-- 
Christopher.Riddoch at colorado.edu
 - epistemological humility -