RE: [OT] Linux and GTE

["David Talkington" <dtalk soltec net>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: wadeh mail redhat com [mailto:wadeh mail redhat com]On Behalf Of
> Wade Hampton
> Sent: Thursday, September 30, 1999 8:45 AM
> To: Redhat List redhat
> Subject: Re: [OT] Linux and GTE
>
> 1.  This is a problem for the Linux community.

Yes.

> 2.  This is an unfair business practice (clear support
>     of a monopoly).

I respectfully disagree.  GTE is under no obligation to support an operating
system that they don't understand.  It's got nothing to do with Microsoft;
GTE just doesn't feel comfortable saying that Linux will work, knowing that
they'll be responsible for tech support if it doesn't.  They have to stick
with what they understand and know they can support.

> 3.  If the O/S supports DHCP per the RFC's, there
>     should be NO ISSUE.

Agreed.  So set up a Win box and lettem do their thing.  They'll know before
they leave that their connection works fine.  Now you replace the Win box
with Linux power; you, the knowledgeable user, are now happy, and GTE is off
the hook (pardon the pun) if it doesn't work.

The same principle is at work when you, the owner of a Toshiba Satellite Pro
notebook, call Toshiba and complain that your Linksys PCMCIA card won't
work.  They'll say, "Link-who?", and recommend that you get a 3Com card and
call back if you still have problems.  (This happened.)  Fair enough; they
can't test EVERYthing on their notebook.  Once we determine that a
well-known card works, then we know the problem is with the Linksys card,
and they can tell me with a clear conscience that they can't help.  (They
were right, in this case.  The card needed an updated driver.)

> This, like the fact that I can't get the network feeds on
> my DSS, are clearly practices that further monopolies
> (for the DSS, the local cable monopoly).

No question that some cable franchises (most?) have bonafide monopolies.
But that's another issue.  For as long as people are as "dependent" on cable
as they are on water, there will always be gouging.  =)

-d