Re: [SLUG] Optus@home: USB->USB vs PCI Ethernet->USB cable modem installs

[Tom <tomdeckert@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Does anyone have comments on this thread about the desirability
of being "loudly and proudly pro-Linux"?  Wouldn't we want Optus to
know that Linux is a growing market, and that we vote with
our pocketbook?  Isn't this the essence of capitalism?

I sure don't think silence is the right answer, after all, how does
this help change things for the better?  Might I suggest responding
to Optus similar to: "If you force me to play windoze games, I will,
but I want you to know I am a Linux user, and that if a provider who
better supports Linux comes along, you will very quickly lose my
business."  The basic idea is to be both polite and direct.

Thanks,
--Tom


> Hey everyone,
> 	I'm finally getting cable installed next week, but I have a
> few doubts on my mind at the moment. I told the guy who signed me up
> over the phone that I had Windows XP which is of course a total lie! I
> only have Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 installed (hi to the rest of the
> debian-devel reading this). I did so because I've seen one too many
> cases of "I refuse to even talk to you because we don't officially
> support Linux" (this is happening at UNSW's own ISP as we speak).
> 	So my question is, has anyone gotten the Optus@home supplied
> PCI Ethernet to USB setup working? Doing a quick search on Google only
> seems to mention that it's not in the official 2.4 kernel tree yet:
> 
> <http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/gregkh/usb/2.4/usb-2.4.19-pre4.bk-patches>
> 
> 	So what should I do? Ring them and ask them for a PCI Ethernet
> setup instead and not bother about USB. How much extra do they charge
> for it (nothing on their rate card about it)? If so, will they
> over-react if I say I don't have Windows and refuse to install cable
> over the phone? Has anyone had bad experiences with Optus technicians
> who have Linux-phobia or refuse to give you an PCI Ethernet card on
> demand?
> 
> Yours sincerely,
> Andrew "Netsnipe" Lau
> 
> -- 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> * Andrew 'Netsnipe' Lau                   Computer Science & Sturep, UNSW *
> *   "apt-get into it"                        Debian GNU/Linux Packager    *
> *     <netsnipe(+)debianplanet.org\0>      <alau(+)cse.unsw.edu.au\0>     *
> * GnuPG 1024D/2E8B68BD 0B77 73D0 4F3B F286 63F1  9F4A 9B24 C07D 2E8B 68BD *
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------