Re: ISP does not 'support' Linux
That would be a really great idea if most ISP's did it, but...
1. When ISP's say they support Windows they provide call up numbers to help
those with windows connection problems. They would have to do the same for
Linux and they can hardly say "Sorry, ask you local LUG to help you". Looks
bad on their part.
2. Staff would have to be trained to be able to answer Linux questions
(mostly "Why doesn't my modem work?"). Say a customer wants to use Linux
and has problems dialling their ISP, the ring support only to be told that
there is no help, only instructions. The customer then struggles on their
own and/or gives up after 30 seconds and goes and finds another ISP that
will help. The ISP has just lost a customer.
3. There are many different ways of doing things in the Linux world. Each
distro does it 'their' way and uses different package versions. There are
about 6 different versions of windows (95/98/ME/XP/NT/2K) and (for the most
part) all do things in the same way. There are over 100 Linux distros
listed on www.distrowatch.com, never mind the different versions of each
distro in use around the world. ISP's just don't want to try and support or
even help such a vast number of differences.
Having said all of that I agree with you 100% the ISP's could do
instructions for Linux very easily and put a disclaimer at the end.
I would even go as to say that they would use the above 'problems' as an
excuse for not doing so.
ISP's are after all out to make money by targeting the biggest single group
of potential cutomers and it's no secret that this is Windows users.
This is just my 0.2. I don't work for any ISP and never have.
Craig
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Lale" <ctlale@coolscience.co.uk>
To: "Debian User list" <debian-user@lists.debian.org>
Sent: Friday, November 29, 2002 10:35 AM
Subject: ISP does not 'support' Linux
> Here's an idea arising from the 'Non-Linux-aware ISP: please spoon feed'
> thread. How many ISP's helplines say 'we do not support Linux'? Most
> ISP's seem to have a webpage with connection instructions for Windows
> users. Why not instructions for Linux?
>
> Suppose everyone with a dialup account were to email their ISP(s) with a
> customised set of instructions suitable for them to put on their
> website? They might at least start to think about it. I have attached a
> possible template. Comments welcome!
>
> How it might work:
> 1. Use a text editor with DOS/Windows end-of-lines (eg vim, kwrite,
> others?).
>
> 2. Edit the items in square brackets [] to include ISP-specific
> information. Choose the appropriate version of section 6 (static or
> dynamic DNS). Fill in the revision info at the head of the document.
>
> 3. Email customer services and the webmaster with the modified attachment.
>
> Some thoughts:
>
> I know that the Gnome applet 'Modem Light' has a button that runs pon
> and poff. Is there an equivalent in KDE?
>
> I assume that other distros use ppp in the same way. Is that so?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Chris.
>
> --
> : ___ Chris Lale <ctlale@coolscience.co.uk> :
> : / \ :
> : | <_/ My PC runs Debian GNU/Linux 3.0. :
> : \ Robust, secure and free operating system + applications. :
> : \ Available at http://www.debian.org :
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
> <!-- linux-isp.txt Copyright (c) 2002 Chris Lale
> chrislale@users.sourceforge.net Permission is granted to copy,
>
> distribute and/or modify this document with no Invariant Sections,
>
> with no Front-Cover texts and with no Back-Cover Texts under the terms
>
> of the GNU Free Documentation License, version 1.1 or any later
>
> version, published by the Free Software Foundation. A copy of the
>
> license can be found at http://www.fsf.org/copyleft/fdl.html.
>
> -->
>
>
>
> <!-- Revision history
>
> Revision 1.0, 29th November 2002, Chris Lale, Initial release
>
> Revision 1.1, [date], [name], Modified for use with [ISP's name]
>
> -->
>
>
>
> How to connect to [ISP name]
>
> ----------------------------
>
>
>
> These are brief instructions. You can find more detailed, general help at
>
> http://newbiedoc.sourceforge.net.
>
>
>
> 1. You must have ppp installed on your computer. You must use the command
line.
>
> (If you are using an X-window system console, open a terminal window.)
>
> 2. Make sure that you are logged in as root. (This is normally achieved by
> switching user with the su command at the command line.)
>
> 3. Run pppconfig. Navigate the menus using the spacebar, arrow, tab, and
enter keys.
>
> 4. Create a connection.
>
> 5. Leave the 'Provider Name' as 'provider' (the default).
>
> 6. Configure nameservers (DNS).
> a. Use static DNS
> b. Enter [nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn] for the primary nameserver.
> c. Enter [nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn] for the secondary nameserver.
>
> <!-- EITHER use the following section to replace 6. above
> OR delete it:
> 6. Configure nameservers (DNS) by choosing 'Use dynamic DNS'.
> -->
>
> 7. Select [PAP] as the authentication method.
>
> 8. Enter your username at [ISP].
>
> 9. Enter your password at [ISP].
>
> 10. Leave the modem 'Speed' as '115200' (the default).
>
> 11. Choose pulse or tone dialing. (Most people have tone dialing - the
> telephone emits a note for each digit dialled.)
>
> 12. Enter this telephone number : [nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn].
>
> 13. Make sure that your modem is connected and switched on. The modem must
be a
> serial modem and not a 'Winmodem'.
>
> 14. Choose modem configuration method. Answer 'yes' for automatic
detection.
> After a short time you will see a list of ports with your modem port
> pre-selected. Accept the selection.
>
> 15. Choose 'Advanced Options' from the properties summary screen.
>
> 16. Choose 'Add-user' to add a ppp user. Enter the name of a user on your
> computer. This enables the user to dial up. Repeat for other users of
your
> computer if needed.
>
> 17. Choose 'Previous' to return to the previous menu.
>
> 18. Choose 'Finished' to write files and return to the main menu.
>
> 19. After the message confirming taht your configuration thatbeen saved,
choose
>
> 'Quit' to exit pppconfig.
>
>
>
> How to use ppp to dial up.
>
> --------------------------
>
>
>
> From a terminal (or a terminal window in X) enter 'pon' to start a
connection
>
> and 'poff' to end a connection.
>
>
>
> From the Gnome desktop use the 'Modem Lights' applet (Applets > Network >
Modem
>
> Lights). Click on the single LED to start or end a connection.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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