[ale] Help needed for a Non-Profit project - if not Linux thenwill go Windows
Geoffrey
esoteric at 3times25.net
Sun Apr 6 18:41:40 EDT 2003
Greg wrote:
> 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.
Try accessing it from the command line with minicom.
>
> 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...
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________ Ale mailing
>>>> list Ale at ale.org http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________ 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...
>>
>> _______________________________________________ Ale mailing list
>> Ale at ale.org http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________ 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...
_______________________________________________
Ale mailing list
Ale at ale.org
http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
More information about the Ale
mailing list