SUMMARY: * getting Debian setup is very likely to be very dependent on "manually" getting the ethernet card(s) online * Linux Ethernet-Howto is very stale! ** many other Howto's are also very stale!
I am trying to shed the shackles of M$, but documentation has weighed upon me like a mountain. What has lead to the staleness? Is Bill's minions at work... I think not. This weekend I have spent much energy trying to get Debian Potato installed and that computer back on the internet. Long before I get to the very challenging part of getting it securely on the internet, I have been slowed to a crawl. PROBLEM: getting ethernet working on Debian Potato I have been RTFMing to exhaustion. My references include: * http://www.debian.org * http://www.linuxdoc.org * Cable Modem Providers HOWTO * Linux Ethernet-Howto * Learning Debian GNU/Linux * Running Linux 3rd Ed. * Debian Tutorial * http://sourceforge.net/projects/newbiedoc/ + a pile of debian-user posts, including a few very similar threads over the last few days. + a slew of other installation accounts from websites It is absolutely amazing how well so many resources can dance around a detailed, relevant explaination. I am particularly disappointed in the Debian Install Manual -- as this is by the team that I want to play for! It is mindblowing that the most recent version of the Linux Ethernet - Howto is dated Oct 29, 2000 , and does not identify a huge array of ethernet cards (and possibly chipsets). I am not suggesting that this is Paul's fault. Have people been submitting updates? Over a year later this almost exactly describes my experience: http://dewbie.editthispage.com/stories/storyReader$21 http://dewbie.editthispage.com/stories/storyReader$22 Only I did not have a kewl weblog (very cool indeed), and I tend to RTFM... so my ending was not so (rapidly) happy :-( At debian-user, over this first weekend that I have subscribed, this issue has come up in various forms at least a dozen. Everytime, the community immediately identifies the exact issue for a particulary ethernet card. "What exactly is your problem?" You likely ask, I am very close to semi-enlightenment now. I will try my own hand before I bring it completely to you all. I feel the information presented above is a far more important issue. More emails to follow (not likely tonight), your companion, Lloyd -- Debian, keeping the GNU in Linux. __________________________________________________________ Get your FREE personalized e-mail at http://www.canada.com
