[PLUG] More PCMCIA

[Nels Tomlinson]

	I have the same problem, on an inspiron 3200.  My card is
supported, and after reading the linux pcmcia howto a few months back, I
figured out that I need to go try uncommenting some line in some file
somewhere.  If that doesn't work, I should try recompiling the kernal,
more because it's fun than because it's helpfull, and that's about as far
as I read.  These howto's usually aren't very helpfull if you are clueless
enough to need them.  This howto is MUCH better than some I've read: it
actually tells you where to look for at least some of the files.  But if
you can understand what they're talking about, you probably had a pretty
good clue about where to look anyway. 

	I haven't yet gone and tried finding and changing that file yet,
since I've got nowhere to network to, under linux.  But it looks like a
large, ugly project to figure it out with the information in the howto. 

	One point I want to make is that documentation that is interesting
to the guy who wrote the package is going to be useless, in general, to
the guy who just wants to use it to get some work done.  Another point is
that it would be a really bright idea to tell folks how to check whether a
kernal supports something already, rather than "recompile...it'll do you
good".  It's easier to just use windows for anything that doesn't work
under linux on the first try.

	If I were getting paid to run this little system, it would be a
different matter, of course.  But my business is getting some research
done, and this computer is supposed to make it easier, not slow me down. 
If I'm going to spend a late night here, it won't be to fiddle with this
thing. 

	So, that's why I use windows when I want to use my cardbus. My
experiences with linux have been very good, in general.  The card bus is
the only thing on my inspiron which doesn't work AT LEAST as well under
linux as under windows.  It is really nice to be able to use a unix system
at home.  But administering a unix system is no fun, and I'm eager to see
it more automated, and better explained.  That business with the pcmcia
SHOULD be doable from linuxconf, I think


> Subject: Re: [PLUG] -fwd- how do I configure pcmcia as an ethernet adapter?
> 
> 
> Two URLs for you: First ofcourse the pcmcia package 
> at http://pcmcia.sourceforge.org/, check if your card is supported. You
> may already have the pcmcia package installed depending on what you chose
> while the setup of your distro. Next, check the 'Linux on Laptops' page
> for more info on your type of machine(if available):
> http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/kharker/linux-laptop/.
> 
> I myself have a Dell Inspiron 3200 with a 3com modem+eth pcmcia card,
> works great.
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> Nitesh.
>