[ale] Help needed for a Non-Profit project - if not Linux thenwill go Windows

Sun Apr 6 12:30:25 EDT 2003

Greg wrote:

> BTW  If anyone has modem configuring foo then please share the knowledge.
> We are this --->| |<----- close to getting a Linux project off the ground.

Wish I could be there!  Anyway, I've had very good success with SuSE 8.1 
and configuring modems.  Use YAST2:

yast2->Network Basic->Modem configuration

 From there, hopefully it will auto detect the modem.  If not, then 
you'll have to configure it manually.

If it is detected, select to configure/change it.  From that point, it's 
pretty straight forward.  I've done this for static ip as well as dhcp, 
it works well.

> 
> Greg Canter
> 
> 
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: ale-admin at ale.org [mailto:ale-admin at ale.org]On Behalf Of Geoffrey
>>Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2003 11:48 PM
>>To: ale at ale.org
>>Cc: Watson McKeel; Keld; FreeBytes Director
>>Subject: Re: [ale] Help needed for a Non-Profit project - if not Linux
>>then will go Windows
>>
>>
>>I'd like to help, but will be out of town.
>>
>>One note, I'd be interested in knowing how anyone plans to lock you out
>>of the command line with win98.  If you've got a browser, you fire up
>>command.com and you've got a dos window.
>>
>>I've done something very similar to what you're looking for though.  Had
>>a slide show fire up from boot for my wife during conference week.  It's
>>pretty straight forward, you call startx from rc as the last thing to
>>run. In the .xinitrc file it simply called the browser passing to it the
>>location of the slideshow.  Worked like a champ.
>>
>>If you're still looking for assistance late next week I'll be back in
>>town, let me know.
>>
>>Sorry, I would have loved to get involved on this one.
>>
>>Greg wrote:
>>
>>> I am helping out at a non-profit called Free Bytes
>>>(http://www.freebytes.org) that is providing support to the Atlanta Food
>>>Bank for an initial order of 30 computers - out of a possible
>>
>>future order
>>
>>>of several hundred.  We are looking for an OS that can be installed on
>>>machines that will immediately dial up via modem to an ISP, have a web
>>>browser come up so folks can use a web based form for ordering food
>>>shipments, and the box must be configured so that it will not
>>
>>allow the user
>>
>>>to get to a command line or otherwise play with the machine.  A working
>>>model must be done by this week and not only is there a time crunch, but
>>>since the first distro we went with (a Slackware derived version) failed
>>>miserably (only 1 successful install out of 4 machines and even then the
>>>modem is almost unconfigurable). We need a solid victory or
>>
>>Windows 98 will
>>
>>>be installed on all machines (it is an all or nothing project -
>>
>>only 1 OS
>>
>>>will be selected).  MS Windows is our back-up if a Open Source solution
>>>cannot be found.
>>>
>>>Here are the HW requirements:
>>>	RAM:	64 MG (sorry, we have little ram and the machines
>>
>>have varying slots)
>>
>>>	HD:	1 GB is the lowest size, we can put other hard
>>
>>drives in the PCs (all
>>
>>>less than 1 GB, though)
>>>	CPU:	Pentium 133 MHz
>>>	Modem:	We need an easily customizable interface so we can
>>
>>easily customize
>>
>>>it.
>>>
>>>Here are the SW requirements
>>>	Boot to a browser after the X windows comes up.
>>>	GUI (for a browser and for a button to push that will do a
>>
>>shutdown/halt)
>>
>>>Need to have good looking fonts on browser.
>>>	A button to push that will do a shutdown/halt
>>>	Can meet the HW requirements.
>>>	Easily installable.  I understand that given enough time
>>
>>any one can figure
>>
>>>out how to make a modem work, but we don't have the time or the
>>
>>folks who
>>
>>>have a high level knowledge of a *nix to configure the modems
>>
>>to work.  Our
>>
>>>installers have primarily Windows experience and work primarily
>>
>>on Saturdays
>>
>>>for several hours.  A member of the Free Bytes staff will go out to the
>>>field to deliver, configure, and do a field test of the PC's as well as
>>>teach the end users and supervise the initial install and test.
>>>
>>>	Time Line:
>>>	If I cannot find a easily configurable distro by Sunday
>>
>>night and no one
>>
>>>steps up with a viable alternative/solution, then I will have
>>
>>to call the
>>
>>>project manager at Free Bytes and tell them to go ahead with
>>
>>Windows 98.  We
>>
>>>would like to do a demo this week to the customer with a Linux
>>
>>box and show
>>
>>>how easy it is (think kiosk). If I can get a workable solution by Sunday
>>>night I will call and tell the Free Bytes project manager we
>>
>>can use Linux -
>>
>>>with a demo box to follow by mid week.
>>>
>>>	Current Problems:
>>>	* HD size: most modern Linux distro's are horribly bloated
>>
>>and we don't
>>
>>>have the time to take out every single thing as well as the
>>
>>fact that the
>>
>>>minimum for most distro's is about 1.7 GB anyway.
>>>
>>>	* Needs to be easily installable.  We may have to do
>>
>>several hundred of
>>
>>>these boxen.
>>>
>>>	* Time.  We bet on a solution that has not worked out and
>>
>>does not have an
>>
>>>easy way to automatically crank up the modem and easily
>>
>>configure the modem
>>
>>>so we lost valuable time already.  A solution needs to be done
>>
>>ASAP - (in 2
>>
>>>days) and a working model by this Wed (so I can have a working
>>
>>box in the
>>
>>>project manager's hands by mid week).
>>>
>>>	What I need help with:
>>>	Suggestions on a good distro. I intend to try several of my
>>
>>old ones this
>>
>>>weekend.  The modern ones (RH and Suse bombed)
>>>	An already scripted distro that can be installed that will
>>
>>provide a kiosk
>>
>>>or even just simple window manager, browser and a method to
>>
>>easily configure
>>
>>>the modem.
>>>	Suggestions on good modem cards and/or external modems that
>>
>>work well with
>>
>>>Linux.  I know about the Linux hardware compatibility list but
>>
>>I want real
>>
>>>world advice.
>>>	Any suggestions on how to EASILY configure modems. ( I only
>>
>>have experience
>>
>>>with TCP/IP and Linux).
>>>	Any help to come by next Saturday to put some boxes out the
>>
>>door - unless I
>>
>>>have to recommend a Windows solution.
>>>	Either Linux or a BSD solution is ok.  I know it can be
>>
>>done, I just don't
>>
>>>have the time now (already spending 12 hrs at work daily) to do
>>
>>it and test
>>
>>>it myself and Free Bytes needs it soon too.
>>>
>>>	What I don't need help with:
>>>	Any politically motivated flames.  I don't have the time
>>
>>nor the mind.  The
>>
>>>customer wants a simple computer solution and has already seen
>>
>>a Windows box
>>
>>>and considers it the standard to beat. We need to have a
>>
>>solution that is
>>
>>>realistic and will work.  The customer doesn't care about the
>>
>>how - just the
>>
>>>what.  I will not hesitate to recommend a MS solution to help them feed
>>>people.
>>>	I am sorry, but the hardware and other requirements are not
>>
>>negotiable.  I
>>
>>>really wish we had modern boxes with already installed <distro
>>
>>here> that
>>
>>>automagically just needed the phone # to work, but that is not
>>
>>the reality.
>>
>>>What is in the requirements is all we have to work with (unless some one
>>>donates several hundred bigger/better/faster/newer computer's
>>
>>in the next 4
>>
>>>days).
>>>
>>>	So, can any one help ?  in any way ? even advice on modems
>>
>>is needed.  It
>>
>>>would be nice if several dozen or even a few were to come by
>>
>>next Saturday
>>
>>>to help with installs too, but right now I need to get a demo
>>
>>working within
>>
>>>the requirements. If it passes muster, then we will worry about
>>
>>the initial
>>
>>>order of 30.
>>>
>>>	If you want to help, then please email me at
>>
>>runman at speedfactory.net  If
>>
>>>anyone wants to seriously help take on this project AND CAN
>>
>>REALLY REALLY
>>
>>>DONATE THE TIME then just ask and we can talk on the phone to
>>
>>night - but at
>>
>>>any rate I need to give the project manager the word not later
>>
>>than Sunday
>>
>>>night.
>>>
>>>	TIA,
>>>
>>>	Greg Canter
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Ale mailing list
>>>Ale at ale.org
>>>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>>
>>>
>>
>>--
>>Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net
>>
>>The latest, most widespread virus?  Microsoft end user agreement.
>>Think about it...
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Ale mailing list
>>Ale at ale.org
>>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
>>
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> 
> 

-- 
Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net

The latest, most widespread virus?  Microsoft end user agreement.
Think about it...

_______________________________________________
Ale mailing list
Ale at ale.org
http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale