Subject: Re: Newbie woes
From: Andrew B. Arthur (arthur99@global2000.net)
Date: Tue Oct 19 1999 - 21:27:04 MDT
> On Mon, Oct 18, 1999 at 11:03:05PM +0200, Frank Stengel wrote:
>> I tried /dev/cua0 or /dev/cua1 using minicom, or even KPPP.
>> I also tried /dev/ttyS0 with the same result.
/dev/cua* is obsolete In Kernel 2.2, you get several error messages if you
try to use this port. In the future with Kernel 2.4 (or devel Kernel 2.3)
you will NOT be able to use /dev/cua*.
Point in case: Please change to using /dev/ttyS* for serial ports.
>> Is there something that needs to be done in order that linux sees the
>> internal modem? I know that MacOS need a specific extension to see the 6400's
>> internal modem.
> If it's an Express Modem rather than a real internal modem, the only thing you
> can do is to remove the internal modem and buy a real one. Once the internal
> modem is removed, the modem port becomes fully active, so you can just plug
> the external right in.
> I replaced the Express Modem in my Performa 6400 with an external modem a
> couple of years ago.
Of course cable modem or some kind of DSL is still preferable if it's
available and you can afford it. Having a fast (and dedicated) internet
connection makes Linux much more fun to use -- remember it's UNIX so it's a
strong Internet OS.
> If you're still using MacOS, you'll be much happer with the performance, since
> the Express Modem eats about 30% of your CPU when running.
Video performance is the main improvement on my machine with the modem
uninstalled, you may have different results.
> And if you're planning on using MacOS 9, you'll need to do it, anyway, because
> the Express Modem will no longer be supported.
The Express Modem works fine with Mac OS 9.0 on my machine, although you
have to still use the old software copyrighted 1995 to use it. And wastes
just about the same amount of CPU as always, and ensures that the Mac OS is
still quite unstable. :(
Now you see why they decided on a real modem for the iMac. At any rate,
don't blame Linux for not supporting it, the modem is 90% software, and it's
even buggier and slower then the PC WinModems. And yes, there was an
unsuccessful class-action lawsuit against Apple for selling this defective
hardware a few years ago, however it seems it failed. Search MacFixit for
geoport modem info.
The geoport modem is also one the most secret pieces of hardware Apple has
ever made, almost nobody has specs on it -- and the Apple employees I have
heard of, have no clue how the magic of this card works. It was apparently
made by Lucent Technologies, as was the driver, so it's quite propriety
> Localtalk doesn't work under Linux.
Yes, Localtalk/AppleTalk over the RS-423/serial bus on Macs doesn't work
(although if you want to write a driver....nobody is stopping you :) However
it is supported over Ethernet.
> Ethertalk works fine, if it's possible for you to go that route.
It's a much faster and useful route. And you can pick up cheap Ethernet
cards/scsi adapters/etc. After adding one to my Mac Plus, I was surprised
how much faster file sharing was.
>> How do I go to use my laser printer which is connected to my computer using a
>> localtalk network through the printer port. atalkd complains by saying it
>> can't find any interfaces, and further than that, I'm lost. How do I go?
I am not sure if you need a AppleTalk connection to talk with your laser
printer. You can try with AppleTalk disabled, and set up your machine to be
a print server so that other machines can use it (hook you machine to others
using Ethernet, while the printer is hooked the serial directly). Some Apple
Laser Printers do not require AppleTalk to be used to communicate.
Thanks,
Andrew Arthur a.k.a. AArthur
arthur99@global2000.net
AIM: arthur998
This archive was generated by hypermail 2a24 : Tue Nov 02 1999 - 16:20:58 MST