Re: Using 3com modem Independent Mode (without Windows)
On Thu, 16 Dec 1999, Alberto Bigazzi wrote:
>
> Thanks everybody for your answers.
>
> The end of it is that now I know that there exist at least two programs,
> "KMsgModem" and "mepl" (see also www.freshmeat.net),
> and some hack to get my 3Com modem use Independent mode under Linux.
>
> Being the 'technical' issue now solved, I've been left with some
> doubts about their (3Com) policy, and about their view of "customer
> satisfaction".
>
>
> What follow are just some comments that might be inappropriate
> to post in this 'technical' mailing list. I apologise to you if
> that would be the case. Or just skip them.
Talked with the two major computer shops in town this week. Both of them
stopped carrying 3com/USR products due to the support issues, and one (the
one I purchased my Sportster from secondhand) appears to have a policy of
reccomending another brand of modem if a customer asks about ordering a
USR modem.
Oh, and I recently was able to `borrow' a windows 98 machine. I pointed
3com's update wizzard at my Linux machine through a null-modem cable and
scripted a modem emulator together that allowed me to download a windows
executable containing the firmware update. Unfortunately I had been
getting serial overruns during the `modem update' and have not been able
to obtain an uncorrupted image file. BTW, minicom and expect work great on
it, and I know it is possible (in fact easy) to update the modem from any
OS, provided 3com would admit to it and offer the firmware image for
download.
The only reason I can think of for them not to offer the image for
download under a `free' or UNIX OS is that they SELL a firmware upgrade
for their 33.6 modems that bring them up to v.90, and I'd bet my Sparc
that it's the exact same binary image as the one I need, or close enough
not to matter.
I'm beginning to grow an idea, assuming that enough of us who have
actually considered or use a 3com/USR product write a letter to the
company asking for support and explaining why they would lose our business
if they don't provide the support. If we want to do so, probably we should
develop a boilerplate letter to use that would be politely and firmly
worded. I also suggest if we're going to do something like this we should
take it off the list, maybe set up a temporary list for the traffic or
something.
Perhaps then they'll listen.
-- Ferret no baka
PS:
I used to reccomend USR to everyone who asked me. AFAICT they went
downhill only after their acquisition by 3com.
> ====== JUST SOME COMMENTS ========
>
> About my complaint that their 3Com 56K Message Modem was NOT a
> windows-specific modem, and I expected some software under Linux to be
> around, here is how they answered to me:
>
> On Tue, 30 Nov 1999 mail3com@emirates.net.ae wrote:
>
> > Hi Alberto,
> > Please read the minimum requirements in the box of the modem. It
> > doesn't
> > speak about linux or any Unix on there, only windows. I'm afraid that
> > there are no scripts available for Linux that use the
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > Independant mode capabilities.
>
> Which was not true, indeed.
>
> About the "minimum requirements" then, isn't it a bit like a computer
> manufacturer said: look, this Pentium computer is good for Windows
> only?
> I'm not an expert, but isn't a modem in the end just a piece of
> hardware that should be made to be programmed?
> Linux and Unix aren't this odd OSs that it's so
> difficult for a big company, as they are, to provide proper
> software for other OSs in the package or at least
> point you to some existing software.
> Why don't they do that?
> Shouldn't they be just happy if more people could happily
> purchase their products?
>
> I found interesting what some of you wrote:
>
> On Tue, 14 Dec 1999 ferret@phonewave.net wrote:
>
> > It's probably something they want to keep hidden to boost use of that
> > other OS, I'm guessing.
> > I recently had a run-through with them regarding
> > a firmware update for my USR Sportster over a non-intel machine.
>
> On Tue, 14 Dec 1999, Emile Schwarz wrote:
>
> > I too have a 3Com USR 56K Message Plus Modem WITHOUT Windows.
> > I too am still waiting for answers...
> > But the specific software communication (voice/fax) sold in what
> > they
> > call a MacPak (350 Francs vat included) was out of date at the
> > time I
> > buy it (but I don't know that when I buy it).
>
>
> Should the conclusion be like Emile's:
> > So, I have to make my consumer work: the next Modem I have to buy
> > will
> > not be a 3Com, I check the software versions given in the box
> > before I
> > buy anything, etc...
> >
> > It's a shame...
>
> or maybe like ferret's:
> >Perhaps if enough people request support from 3com they'll start
> >offering
> >support. :>
>
> What do you think?
>
> Alberto.
>
> -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
> Alberto Bigazzi, PhD.
> Dept. of Mathematics,
> Politecnico di Milano,
> -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
> http://www1.mate.polimi.it/~albbig
> -/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
>
>
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