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Weblog:   Linux Made Easy
Subject:   I wish it were quite that easy
Date:   2003-08-13 12:44:00
From:   phenyx
I've been a Linux user for years - but a week ago I bought a new Dell Inspiron 600m, and it still runs the XP install that it came with out of the box.


Why?


Hardware, plain and simple. Particularly wireless hardware. The Intel Pro Wireless 2100 mini-PCI chipset that it shipped with doesn't have a Linux driver available. My Linksys WPC54G 802.11g Cardbus adapter doesn't have a Linux driver available. My only option would be to use my SMC2635W 802.11b cardbus card, which has a binary-only driver from the fine people at admtek, which doesn't have near the range of the internal Mini-PCI or the fast bitrates of the 54G card.


Both the unsupported cards are rumored (the Intel chipset) or promoted (the Broadcom 54G chipset) as having Linux drivers available internally or to select customers, but as yet unreleased to the public. It therefore can't be a matter of time or cost - what's keeping them from releasing binary drivers, at least?


Beyond the scope of this post is Linksys's probable GPL violations in the firmware of the WRT54G.


How do we, as the Linux user community, convince the Big Corporations that there's a demand? I've spoken to reps from Linksys on the phone and they've told me flat out that they don't have any plans to release Linux support for the 54G, now or ever, without citing any kind of backing reasoning.
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  • I wish it were quite that easy
    2005-08-26 06:31:15  duah [View]

    I got same new Inspiron 600m,dual booted with Xandros SurfSide Linux ,no problems that Xandros support didnt solve.

    How did your wireless hardware get resolved,must admit have not used that function yet.
  • I wish it were quite that easy
    2003-08-20 08:50:26  anonymous2 [View]

    Hello, I sent an email to Intel asking them about the release of a linux driver for their centrino wireless card and here is wath they said:

    Hello Dear Customer,

    Thank you for contacting Intel(R) Technical Support.

    Intel(R) Centrino(TM) Mobile Technology driver development being scoped.
    Expect needed drivers first half 2004, if not sooner.

    Sincerely,

    Carlos B.
    Intel(R) Technical Support

    Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries
    In the United States and other countries.

    *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.



    ->I was looking for linux drivers and I saw an article were you said you were developing linux drivers for the centrino wireless card. But I didn't find any one at your page and I saw it was not supported under linux.
    ->
    ->##ERIGNORE##
    ->Product Category: Centrino
    ->
    ->E-mail address: thassler@dcc.uchile.cl
    ->
    ->Product name: Wireless 2100 (centrino wireless card)
    ->
    ->Problem description: I was looking for linux drivers and I saw an article were you said you were developing linux drivers for the centrino wireless card. But I didn't find any one at your page and I saw it was not supported under linux.
    ->
    ->Customer Type: End-user

    I hope it to be true.
Showing messages 1 through 2 of 2.

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