[Gllug] Linux has arrived

[Paul Lee]

John Hearns wrote:
> 2009/3/21 Paul Lee <paul at ma1.se>:
>> Ubuntu "just works" out of the box. I was amazed I could connect
>> effortlessly to wireless networks (seems any generic USB stick works) or
>> 3G Orange Mobile Broadband via my phone. Even my webcams work!
> 
> A few weeks ago in the local Currys store I saw a notice pinned up
> beside the netbooks. The gist of it was "No 3D network dongles work
> with Linux netbooks"
> At a guess, there are one or two chipsets which don't work with Linux,
> and the staff are not trained to steer the customers towards which
> ones are, and don;t want to cope with customers coming back with
> netbooks which "won't work".
> Bad show.

I'd qualify that. I really meant generic wireless USB adaptors. I have 
to admit not testing any 3G dongles as I don't possess any.

Tried for ages to get a Sitecom USB wireless stick working on Centos 
(and failed) which worked straight away under Ubuntu. Also the Belkin 
USB adaptor which seem pretty popular in PC World etc also worked 
without difficulty.

I connected to 3G using my LG Viewty mobile phone as modem using the USB 
connection lead. In Ubuntu is a drop down box, which includes 3g Orange 
(contract) and I was connected in seconds.

With Ubuntu I'd say getting connectivity was now easier than say Windows 
XP. I just wanted to walk into Macdonalds and Starbucks and connect 
without a major fight. Thats been achieved.

There has been some discussion on this list, regarding issues with 3G 
"dongles." Might be worth revisiting a drawing up a list of Linux 
"friendly" devices and providers.

The only major failure I've had with Ubuntu is to connect a Hauppage USB 
DVD USB Stick. The device gets detected (according to dmesg) but I 
noticed lots of errors when I installed the xawtv and dependencies using 
apt-get.

The devices don't seem to get setup properly with lots of permissions 
errors. Maybe if I add them in manually it might work. As the laptops I 
use are unlikely to have the processor power to view TV, its not 
something I've been tremendously worried about. I've had a lot more luck 
with webcams however most Logitechs seem to work without issue.


Regards


Paul Lee
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