egg on my face

[warmongr]

After two weeks or more of investigating my modem connectivity problem with a Viking PCI Internal modem,<br>
RFM: 56KPCICL Model: CW56LU-PCI, I find that it is, in fact, a WINModem. I have delved through the documentation and tried everthing that you and deja groupies have suggested. I called Viking Tech Support today and was told by them that this modem is a WINModem. Isn't there some kind of law concerning false advertising. I wrote them a scathing email below:<br>
<br>
Dear Sirs,<br>
<br>
I feel I must register a formal complaint regarding your Viking 56k PCI,<br>
RFM56KPCICL. I am a System Administrator for a software development<br>
company running RedHat Linux. When purchasing an upgraded modem for my<br>
home to assist with my work I was very careful in avoiding any modem<br>
advertised as a WINModem or a modem that works only in WINDOWS 9x or<br>
NT. For nearly 2 weeks I have been investigating a connectivity problem<br>
using your product having delved deeply into the sparse technical<br>
specifications that came with your modem only to find after calling your<br>
tech support line that this modem is in fact a WINModem.<br>
<br>
It is bad enough that the world has cowered beneath the foot of Bill<br>
Gates. It is sadder still that technical companies such as yourselves<br>
have assumed the war is over. If you are to sell WINModems then you<br>
should market them as such.<br>
<br>
Very Respectfully,<br>
MyName went here<br>
<br>
Anybody have a link to a modem database for Linux users so I can update them?<br>

 

[warmongr]

Their reply:<br>
<br>
<br>
On Wed, 26 May 1999, you wrote:<br>
I'm sorry, but it is clearly marked on the box that the modem is Windows 95/98 and NT Compatible and also that it is a DSP device. Digital Signal Processor is the formal name for a Winmodem. Besides this fact, it is also a limitation of Linux in that Linux does not support the PCI bus. This fact is in the Linux documentation. The PCI bus is physically and hardware-wise separate from and different than the ISA bus and therefore requires software to emulate a serial COM or communications port. We do list on our packaging all of the operating systems that our modems are compatible with. It is incorrect to assume that they will be compliant with unlisted systems. I'm sorry for the mis-understanding, but we do feel that our packaging is correct and follows the industry standard of listing what our products are compatible with.<br>

 

[warmongr]

My response,<br>
<br>
Neil,<br>
<br>
Thanks for the response:<br>
Windows 95/98, NT compatible does not make this aWINModem. USRobotics Sportster 56k X2 V.90 modems are also Windows 95/98 and NT compatible but easily migrate onto a UNIX/IRIX, HPUX, OS2 and Linux OS. Your documentation for Linux must be outdated somewhat also because Linux fully supports the PCI bus. We run PCI ATI Rage Pro video cards on all of our<br>
Gateway 2000 P350's and 400Mhz systems under Mandrake 5.2 and Red Hat 6.0.<br>
<br>
I am also sorry for the misunderstanding however my position still stands. <br>
Marketing a Modem as a DSP is shady and deceptive to the consumer at best. <br>
<br>
Regards,

 

[silverwolffe]

&gt;&gt;Besides this fact, it is also a limitation of Linux<br>
&gt;&gt;in that Linux does not support the PCI bus. This<br>
&gt;&gt;fact is in the Linux documentation.<br>
<br>
It would be somewhat interesting if they could actually produce such "fact" and "documentation". I'm sure it would be covered with more cobwebs than their company ethics manual ;-P<br>
<br>
have Fun <br>
Sterling

 

[Milamber]

I suggest you post this to slashdot!<br>
<br>
I'm sure the interest generated will cause the manufacturer to take notice!<br>
<br>
- Milamber

 

[Milamber]

I suggest you post this to slashdot!<br>
<br>
I'm sure the interest generated will cause the manufacturer to take notice!<br>
<br>
- Milamber