[LUGSB] Wireless card

[Diane Napolitano]

On 2/7/07, Chris Wright <dhasenan at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 8 Feb 2007 01:40:42 -0000, Ilya Sukhanov (dotCOMmie)
> <lugsb at sukhanov.net> wrote:
> >
> > On 2/7/2007, "William Joseph Lahti" <wlahti at ic.sunysb.edu> wrote:
> >
> > >Avishay,
> > >
> > >Have you tried working with ndiswrapper to get your current wireless to
> > >work?
> >
> > Ndiswrapper is evil and should be avoided at all costs.
>
> What's evil about it? It's a security concern, if a minor one, since
> any untoward code probably relies on the NT kernel and wouldn't be
> supported by ndiswrapper (Linux-native binary blobs are a much greater
> concern); it's a stability concern, though there are enough people
> using each wireless card that that is probably minimal. As a practical
> matter, it's a low-risk but uncertain means of achieving important
> functionality.
>
> Politically, if you care about that (not everyone who uses Linux cares
> about OS politics), ndiswrapper is a step away from corporate hardware
> support for Linux, but a step toward a universal driver format and a
> means of increasing the Linux userbase.
>
> Religiously, of course, you are entirely correct. A modern Buddha
> would (and indeed has!) declared that binary drivers are the work of
> Angra Mainyu, the destructive spirit. Not to mention the opinions J.R.
> "Bob" Dobbs. Though according to the prophet of Enlil, the open source
> movement is a source of moral decay, if not a notable one.
> Unfortunately, since Emperor Norton I of America is dead, we are
> unlikely to achieve a definitive answer to this conundrum.


My good sir, are you implying that the opinions of J.R. "Bob" Dobbs
are...evil? :)

I do agree with both sides on the ndiswrapper debate, however I must say
that I am happily using a Netgear WG311v3 card in my PC ATM, thanks to
ndiswrapper.  It reminds me of the "solutions" to the "Winmodems" of, like,
seven years ago...is ndiswrapper evil?  Inherently so.  But does it solve a
huge and annoying problem that shouldn't really exist in the first place?  I
think the answer is obvious ;)

So by all means, if you can easily avoid getting a card that requires
ndiswrapper, do so...but if you're like me and you can only afford to drop
$15 on a wireless card and that Netgear card on eBay fits your needs...

Just my $0.02,
Diane
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