Paul Hendrick wrote:
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: tommmmie [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> > Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2000 1:42 PM
> > To: Newbie
> > Subject: newest version of mandrake or redhat...
>
> > can anyone tell me what version of either of these is going to support
> > winmodems and usb ethernet cards...? thanks...
>
> Not sure about the ethernet card, but I'd say the next distro to use
> the 2.4 kernel, will support that kind of hard ware. As for
> Winmodems, I'm not sure if they'll ever be supported very well in
> either distro. You should get a hardware modem, just in case. I once
> read on the Manadrake site that:
> "Winmodems will never be supported".
Yeah, and from what I understand, they're not particularly GREAT modems
anyway. They are cheap, however, but that can "inexpesive" or "of
little quality" or maybe a combonation of the two. Alot of computer
manufacturers will say "V.90" and "56flex", etc., but when you buy a
computer it won't say "It's got a Winmodem!" on the box.
>
> > also can anyone give me a really general explination of the whole
> > ****.tar.gz files...and the make this and make install that...i want
> to use
> > some patches for things but i need to know more about the make this
> and that
> > thing...thanks
> > tommmmie
>
> tar.gz is the file extension for a commpressed file (Like *.zip).
> When you unpack the file, and run configure, a script will check that
> you have all of the dependancies for that program. If you do, it'll
> create a makefile. When you run make, it will compile the package,
> and make an executable program file. Make install places the binary
> executable in somewhere like /usr/bin or /usr/local/bin. That why you
> have to be 'root' to run make install, as root is the user with write
> perrmissions to those parts of the drive.
> I think thats the general rule anyway :)
>
> HTH
