>> >That's short-sighted, Mike. A Linmodem makes a perfectly fine telco
>> >interface. It takes no more CPU than a buffered UART running at
>> >57600. See http:/linmodems.org for reasonable uses of a linmodem.
>>
>> What a crock. If a Winmodem/linmodem whatever software modem did
>> not use up a lot of CPU resources, then it would not suck so bad.
>
>Go back and read what he wrote until you understand why your reply
>doesn't refute what Russ said. If you still don't understand, check
>out the web site. (here's a hint - "modem" != "telco interface")
I don't care. As far as using a modem to connect to the
internet, or to connect to another computer is concerned, a
Winmodem uses and wastes CPU bandwidth and other valuable system
resources. The cost saved by using the winmodem, is wasted on
the extra money put out for the host CPU. The unreliability of
the things adds to the uselessness of them, as does their lack of
portability.
Nonetheless, manufacturers push them, and most people buy them
unknowingly, because they do not know any better. Some people
buy them because they are "winmodems" and that must mean that
they are "better" in Windows. Most people that I know, that I've
done business with that have encountered problems with their
modem in the last few years, it was because it was a WINMODEM or
equivalent, and they DID NOT KNOW THAT THEY BOUGHT A PIECE OF
CRAP HARDWARE - they trusted their vendor, who ripped them off.
Whats even funnier, is that even the people in the stores selling
the crap, don't even know half the time. "Is this a winmodem",
"no it is not", get home, put it in, Linux no-comprende, read
manual - windows only.... back to store, "I said I DID NOT want
a winmodem", "that isn't a winmodem", "Ok, I said I did not want
a modem that ONLY WORKS IN WINDOWS NO MATTER WHAT IT'S CUTE
LITTLE NAME IS", "oh, that modem should work..." Open manual,
show them "windows only" - shocked look ... 'oh... um... ahh...
try this modem instead..."
I live in an area where computer peripherals are not $5 for a
winmodem, and $300 for a real modem like some other people imply
they are. Here a crap software modem goes for about as low as
$40-50 or so, and a real modem, with real hardware, goes for
anywhere from $50-$200 or so. The $50 ones work just as good as
the $200 ones from my experience, but they are REAL modems, and
not software based.
As such, ANYONE saving $10-$20 buy buying a winmodem, is getting
taken. If someone purposefully chooses one, because it is
cheaper after being warned what they are buying, then that is
fine, their decision.
If someone buys a new system - $700-$5000 or more, and gets a
winmodem, I say they got ripped off by the vendor. The price
difference from $700 to $710 or $720 for a real modem on such a
low end system is not big enough to warrant the crap hardware in
a consumer product.
There might be a demand for them, if you wish to look at it like
that, but I say the demand exists only because of the public's
general lack of understanding of technology. The things are a
burden to technology, and are a horrible thorn in the side of
technology.
By the way, this has absolutely nothing to do with Linux, nor my
advocacy of it. I saw a friend get stuck with a 14.4k RPI modem
back in the good old DOS days, and not be able to replace it to
be able to use it for the purposes he wanted at the time because
the store wouldn't take it back after a few months. I then saw
many people have this happen, then with 28.8k modems, then 56k.
A lot of ISP's would not let people connect with software modems,
or they wouldn't be able to connect reliably. From a helpdesk
perspective, they are also horrible, as they cause a LOT of
troubleshooting, and extra work from that perspective as well.
Any money the damned things save a person initially, they will
waste in tech support, and/or in buying a new modem later on that
is a real one. Even worse, I've seen many people go buy a new
modem after being told their winmodem was at fault, and they
specified that they did not want a winmodem the second time, but
got one anyways, and didn't know until they had more problems
again a few weeks later, or days later.
So, I back up my stance against Winmodems. Nobody is going to
change my viewpoint on this matter in any way shape or form, so
you might as well not even try.
If you say, "but they are good for holding a window up", so is a
rock, and they are cheaper.
Winmodems are a horrible disgrace to the technology age, as are
all other software based crap hardware. Use any argument you
like to counter, but my stance is very firm, and very well
thought out, and covers many cases, based on my personal
experience, and that of hundreds of RIPPED OFF customers.
-- Mike A. Harris Linux advocate GNU advocate Computer Consultant Open Source advocateTea, Earl Grey, Hot...
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