Tom Massey wrote:
>
> Hi, I was wondering if anybody has managed to get the Lucent
> linux568.zip driver working with MDK 7.1, kernel 2.2.15-4mdk? Worked
> fine in MDK 6, 6.1, 7, but I can't get it going with 7.1.
>
> Running the ltinst script (as root) gives:
>
> insmod: ltmodem: no module by that name found
>
> Though the script seems to put the module in
> /lib/modules/2.2.15-4mdk/misc, and make the link to /dev/modem etc, just
> doesn't load the module. Strangely, I don't get the usual error message
> about 'kernal mismatch' when running the script. I do get '***unresolved
> symbols in module' at boot when it checks for module dependencies.
>
> But in dmesg I find:
>
> PPP: version 2.3.7 (demand dialling)
> PPP line discipline registered.
> Lucent Modem driver version 4.27.5.66 with MANY_PORTS MULTIPORT
> SHARE_IRQ enabled
> ttyS14 at 0x1000 (irq = 11) is a Lucent
> registered device ppp0
> PPP BSD Compression module registered
> PPP Deflate Compression module registered
>
> Which seems to me to indicate it's detecting and loading it OK, but when
> I try to use it, it dials OK, but then PPPD dies with the error message
> 'Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference'. Anybody know what
> that means? Would I be better off going back to the MDK 7 kernel - and
> if so, does anybody know what works in the new kernel that won't with
> the old one (eg Reiser FS). I'd prefer not to go back to my 14.4
> modem....
>
> Thanks,
> Tom Massey
Well, you are free to pursue this BECAUSE others have worked very
hard to bring themselves and you this freedom.
Binary-only applications for sale are one matter. Binary-only
DRIVERS are quite another. There is no way to audit the code,
and we are talking about something that has DIRECT access to the
kernel, unlike an application which must use an Application
Programming Interface (API) to request kernel services and has
only the privilege of the user running it.
Microsoft attributes a full 25% of its crashes to 3rd-party
drivers. My system has uptime equalling the install of 7.0 on
one machine, and equalling the install of 7.1 on another.
Crashes are a thing of the past for me because I can read the
source, and so can everyone else, and all those eyes do spot
problems quickly.
Letting folks come in offering binary-only drivers for their
hardware and buying the hardware and using the drivers is
something like undermining the work of the people who put so much
effort into making it possible for you to choose to do this.
It is unlikely that compatibility or non-compatibility with
binary-only drivers will be a concern of people writing kernels
or preparing distros. A built-in threat to stability (if
included) is unlikely to ever achieve any priority for inclusion.
If you want your devices supported, encourage the manufacturers
to supply drivers in source.
And I am not referring to Mandrake specifically but all of the
linux distros--they all use roughly the same kernel.
In the mean time, while waiting for manufacturers to come to
their senses, I will not install binary-only drivers or buy
products which require them.
Civileme
