[nzlug] Acer/DSE option

[Simon Bridge]

On Mon, 2008-04-28 at 13:29 +1200, Nevyn wrote:

> I'm guessing (and it's only a guess here) that the modem issue can be
> attributed to the sound server changing in hardy. This would mean that
> the dependencies being downloaded for the linuxant drivers, aren't in
> keeping with the desktop.

That would be my guess - though the pulse-audio alsa plugins are
supposed to handle apps expecting alsa (it's supposed to be a
transparent drop-in) the linuxant replace a large chunk of the alsa code
with their own.

Last time, Johnathan put the blame on the ubuntu backports alsa package
(updating alsa but not the headers). No doubt I'll hear in a day or two.

No doubt the test would be to install gutsy, and, without updating,
install their driver. Then see if it breaks on update.

Meantime, the installed disk-image is less than 3gig (not counting
zeros) untar-ed. This means it would fit on a DVD - which makes the
image method reasonable.

I could just dd then tar it... or use a tool like partimage.
Suggestions?

>  I suppose the packages are there for
> backwards compatibility allowing users to chose their sound server
> rather than being forced to use the pulse sound server. Essentially to
> get the linuxant drivers working, chances are there's work to be done
> here to get those alsa packages working with the pulse sound server.

Technically I could just restore the old alsa+esd setup.

However - pulse-audio has been around a while in other popular distros.
Surely this has happened before now.

The full speed driver is US$20 - on the DSE catalog, an intornal 56k
modem is NZ$34 and an external (Apple) is NZ$100!!!!! (But it's extra
shiny...)

A serial to usb converter is $40

What happened to the old XH1147s? (was it? intel external HaM?)

XH1176 is $80 (how come it doesn't come up in a search of 56k modems?)

Of course, there's a $30 adsl modem... 

It would almost be worth installing Windows to this box, just to compare
the out-of-the-box functionality.

+++ a real coup would be to install coreboot... but I checked and it's a
long long way from trivial.