[ale] Help needed for a Non-Profit project - if not Linux then will go Windows

[Greg]

Yes, that's how I am doing it.  I went to Suse since it is so easily
configurable.  It recognizes the modem, seems to connect, but won't dial
out.  I need to do some googling on the type of modem and what it takes to
connect.  I am sure that I am not feeding it some variable that it needs.  I
have heard of modems that need some customized strings or variables to work.

Greg

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ale-admin at ale.org [mailto:ale-admin at ale.org]On Behalf Of Geoffrey
> Sent: Sunday, April 06, 2003 12:30 PM
> To: ale at ale.org
> Cc: Watson McKeel; Keld; FreeBytes Director
> Subject: Re: [ale] Help needed for a Non-Profit project - if not Linux
> then will go Windows
>
>
> Greg wrote:
>
> > BTW  If anyone has modem configuring foo then please share the
> knowledge.
> > We are this --->| |<----- close to getting a Linux project off
> the ground.
>
> Wish I could be there!  Anyway, I've had very good success with SuSE 8.1
> and configuring modems.  Use YAST2:
>
> yast2->Network Basic->Modem configuration
>
>  From there, hopefully it will auto detect the modem.  If not, then
> you'll have to configure it manually.
>
> If it is detected, select to configure/change it.  From that point, it's
> pretty straight forward.  I've done this for static ip as well as dhcp,
> it works well.
>
> >
> > Greg Canter
> >
> >
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: ale-admin at ale.org [mailto:ale-admin at ale.org]On Behalf Of Geoffrey
> >>Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2003 11:48 PM
> >>To: ale at ale.org
> >>Cc: Watson McKeel; Keld; FreeBytes Director
> >>Subject: Re: [ale] Help needed for a Non-Profit project - if not Linux
> >>then will go Windows
> >>
> >>
> >>I'd like to help, but will be out of town.
> >>
> >>One note, I'd be interested in knowing how anyone plans to lock you out
> >>of the command line with win98.  If you've got a browser, you fire up
> >>command.com and you've got a dos window.
> >>
> >>I've done something very similar to what you're looking for though.  Had
> >>a slide show fire up from boot for my wife during conference week.  It's
> >>pretty straight forward, you call startx from rc as the last thing to
> >>run. In the .xinitrc file it simply called the browser passing to it the
> >>location of the slideshow.  Worked like a champ.
> >>
> >>If you're still looking for assistance late next week I'll be back in
> >>town, let me know.
> >>
> >>Sorry, I would have loved to get involved on this one.
> >>
> >>Greg wrote:
> >>
> >>> I am helping out at a non-profit called Free Bytes
> >>>(http://www.freebytes.org) that is providing support to the
> Atlanta Food
> >>>Bank for an initial order of 30 computers - out of a possible
> >>
> >>future order
> >>
> >>>of several hundred.  We are looking for an OS that can be installed on
> >>>machines that will immediately dial up via modem to an ISP, have a web
> >>>browser come up so folks can use a web based form for ordering food
> >>>shipments, and the box must be configured so that it will not
> >>
> >>allow the user
> >>
> >>>to get to a command line or otherwise play with the machine.  A working
> >>>model must be done by this week and not only is there a time
> crunch, but
> >>>since the first distro we went with (a Slackware derived
> version) failed
> >>>miserably (only 1 successful install out of 4 machines and
> even then the
> >>>modem is almost unconfigurable). We need a solid victory or
> >>
> >>Windows 98 will
> >>
> >>>be installed on all machines (it is an all or nothing project -
> >>
> >>only 1 OS
> >>
> >>>will be selected).  MS Windows is our back-up if a Open Source solution
> >>>cannot be found.
> >>>
> >>>Here are the HW requirements:
> >>>	RAM:	64 MG (sorry, we have little ram and the machines
> >>
> >>have varying slots)
> >>
> >>>	HD:	1 GB is the lowest size, we can put other hard
> >>
> >>drives in the PCs (all
> >>
> >>>less than 1 GB, though)
> >>>	CPU:	Pentium 133 MHz
> >>>	Modem:	We need an easily customizable interface so we can
> >>
> >>easily customize
> >>
> >>>it.
> >>>
> >>>Here are the SW requirements
> >>>	Boot to a browser after the X windows comes up.
> >>>	GUI (for a browser and for a button to push that will do a
> >>
> >>shutdown/halt)
> >>
> >>>Need to have good looking fonts on browser.
> >>>	A button to push that will do a shutdown/halt
> >>>	Can meet the HW requirements.
> >>>	Easily installable.  I understand that given enough time
> >>
> >>any one can figure
> >>
> >>>out how to make a modem work, but we don't have the time or the
> >>
> >>folks who
> >>
> >>>have a high level knowledge of a *nix to configure the modems
> >>
> >>to work.  Our
> >>
> >>>installers have primarily Windows experience and work primarily
> >>
> >>on Saturdays
> >>
> >>>for several hours.  A member of the Free Bytes staff will go out to the
> >>>field to deliver, configure, and do a field test of the PC's as well as
> >>>teach the end users and supervise the initial install and test.
> >>>
> >>>	Time Line:
> >>>	If I cannot find a easily configurable distro by Sunday
> >>
> >>night and no one
> >>
> >>>steps up with a viable alternative/solution, then I will have
> >>
> >>to call the
> >>
> >>>project manager at Free Bytes and tell them to go ahead with
> >>
> >>Windows 98.  We
> >>
> >>>would like to do a demo this week to the customer with a Linux
> >>
> >>box and show
> >>
> >>>how easy it is (think kiosk). If I can get a workable solution
> by Sunday
> >>>night I will call and tell the Free Bytes project manager we
> >>
> >>can use Linux -
> >>
> >>>with a demo box to follow by mid week.
> >>>
> >>>	Current Problems:
> >>>	* HD size: most modern Linux distro's are horribly bloated
> >>
> >>and we don't
> >>
> >>>have the time to take out every single thing as well as the
> >>
> >>fact that the
> >>
> >>>minimum for most distro's is about 1.7 GB anyway.
> >>>
> >>>	* Needs to be easily installable.  We may have to do
> >>
> >>several hundred of
> >>
> >>>these boxen.
> >>>
> >>>	* Time.  We bet on a solution that has not worked out and
> >>
> >>does not have an
> >>
> >>>easy way to automatically crank up the modem and easily
> >>
> >>configure the modem
> >>
> >>>so we lost valuable time already.  A solution needs to be done
> >>
> >>ASAP - (in 2
> >>
> >>>days) and a working model by this Wed (so I can have a working
> >>
> >>box in the
> >>
> >>>project manager's hands by mid week).
> >>>
> >>>	What I need help with:
> >>>	Suggestions on a good distro. I intend to try several of my
> >>
> >>old ones this
> >>
> >>>weekend.  The modern ones (RH and Suse bombed)
> >>>	An already scripted distro that can be installed that will
> >>
> >>provide a kiosk
> >>
> >>>or even just simple window manager, browser and a method to
> >>
> >>easily configure
> >>
> >>>the modem.
> >>>	Suggestions on good modem cards and/or external modems that
> >>
> >>work well with
> >>
> >>>Linux.  I know about the Linux hardware compatibility list but
> >>
> >>I want real
> >>
> >>>world advice.
> >>>	Any suggestions on how to EASILY configure modems. ( I only
> >>
> >>have experience
> >>
> >>>with TCP/IP and Linux).
> >>>	Any help to come by next Saturday to put some boxes out the
> >>
> >>door - unless I
> >>
> >>>have to recommend a Windows solution.
> >>>	Either Linux or a BSD solution is ok.  I know it can be
> >>
> >>done, I just don't
> >>
> >>>have the time now (already spending 12 hrs at work daily) to do
> >>
> >>it and test
> >>
> >>>it myself and Free Bytes needs it soon too.
> >>>
> >>>	What I don't need help with:
> >>>	Any politically motivated flames.  I don't have the time
> >>
> >>nor the mind.  The
> >>
> >>>customer wants a simple computer solution and has already seen
> >>
> >>a Windows box
> >>
> >>>and considers it the standard to beat. We need to have a
> >>
> >>solution that is
> >>
> >>>realistic and will work.  The customer doesn't care about the
> >>
> >>how - just the
> >>
> >>>what.  I will not hesitate to recommend a MS solution to help them feed
> >>>people.
> >>>	I am sorry, but the hardware and other requirements are not
> >>
> >>negotiable.  I
> >>
> >>>really wish we had modern boxes with already installed <distro
> >>
> >>here> that
> >>
> >>>automagically just needed the phone # to work, but that is not
> >>
> >>the reality.
> >>
> >>>What is in the requirements is all we have to work with
> (unless some one
> >>>donates several hundred bigger/better/faster/newer computer's
> >>
> >>in the next 4
> >>
> >>>days).
> >>>
> >>>	So, can any one help ?  in any way ? even advice on modems
> >>
> >>is needed.  It
> >>
> >>>would be nice if several dozen or even a few were to come by
> >>
> >>next Saturday
> >>
> >>>to help with installs too, but right now I need to get a demo
> >>
> >>working within
> >>
> >>>the requirements. If it passes muster, then we will worry about
> >>
> >>the initial
> >>
> >>>order of 30.
> >>>
> >>>	If you want to help, then please email me at
> >>
> >>runman at speedfactory.net  If
> >>
> >>>anyone wants to seriously help take on this project AND CAN
> >>
> >>REALLY REALLY
> >>
> >>>DONATE THE TIME then just ask and we can talk on the phone to
> >>
> >>night - but at
> >>
> >>>any rate I need to give the project manager the word not later
> >>
> >>than Sunday
> >>
> >>>night.
> >>>
> >>>	TIA,
> >>>
> >>>	Greg Canter
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>_______________________________________________
> >>>Ale mailing list
> >>>Ale at ale.org
> >>>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>--
> >>Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net
> >>
> >>The latest, most widespread virus?  Microsoft end user agreement.
> >>Think about it...
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________
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> >>Ale at ale.org
> >>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> >>
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> >
> >
>
> --
> Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net
>
> The latest, most widespread virus?  Microsoft end user agreement.
> Think about it...
>
> _______________________________________________
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> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>

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