-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Friday 25 January 2002 6:12 pm, Randy Orrison wrote:
> Hmmm... I must have missed the easy way to set up my sound card in > Debian. In Windows, it was automatically recognised and configured and > just worked. Is there really an easier way in Debian? Apparently (I > haven't tried it) I have to actually either recompile my kernel, or at > least a module, and choose which software to use... I've been saving > the messages on this list about sound setup, but it doesn't look like it > will be anywhere near as easy as it was in Windows, never mind easier. > I'll dive into it one day when I can allocate a few uninterruped hours. Its getting better - since experimenting with devfs (I actually compiled the kernel) and the debian module devfsd everything is much more modular. In fact all I had to do was create the following file /etc/modutils/akcmods ===================== # AKC 10th Dec 2001 # v1.0 Special alias file # These seem to be standard modules not covered. alias net-pf-17 af_packet #packet filter alias char-major-6 lp #NVdriver puts this in aliases - but better in here alias char-major-195 NVdriver #define sound card alias /dev/sound emu10k1 #define scsi host adapter alias scsi-hosts aic7xxx #logitech joystick (? - not sure if I have right model) alias /dev/joystick adi # Link my dvd drive alias /dev/dvd ide-cd # These two lines are in place because /etc/modutils/1devfsd then maps # to the actual modules (and calls scsi-hosts - see above) alias /dev/cdrom /dev/sr0 alias /dev/cd-r /dev/sg0 ===================== The alias /dev/sound tells the system what my sound card is and thats all I have ever had to do to get sound to work (in kde at least which is what I use) [must admit I haven't had to get to the joystick yet - a logitech wingman force 3d so am not sure I have the right thing] [although I have created /dev/cd-r I've never used it as the CD burner has searched the hardware and found the device] > > And then there's my CD burner kcreatecd >and my printer to set up, both of which > "just worked" under Windows. cupsys Although I did run the web based tool to create a link to the printer which happens to be on a windows box across my network. > > Part of the problem with all these is that there are _too_many_ choices > for software support -- "apt-cache search sound | egrep '^alsa'" returns > 26 packages, and then there's esd and asd and how many mixers? It would > go a long way to increasing the acceptance of Debian (and Linux in > general, though I really don't know if others are any better) if the > installer recognized and configured more hardware, and installed a > reasonable default package to use it. (As for recompiling a kernel -- > you must be joking!) For me that range of tools is one of the plus points. To make things simple I always fireup dselect rather than use the command line packaging tools. That way I can scan whats available. With debian its so easy to install something, if you don't like it just take it out again. > > This isn't a flame, or a troll, or a request for help or advice (though > the latter may follow); I'm just pointing out that there are things that > are easier in Windows than Linux. I've switched this machine to Debian > from Windows NT and I'm not going back! Also, I have already done a > kernel compile for a different machine, it's not that bad for someone > who is technically competent, but there's no way my mother would be > capable of even contemplating doing it. You would enjoy the Aunt Tillie thread on the kernel mailing list. - -- Alan - [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.chandlerfamily.org.uk -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.0.6 (GNU/Linux) Comment: For info see http://www.gnupg.org iD8DBQE8Udx91mf3M5ZDr2kRAruMAJ0bzEMBJBrNCuxOCm26E3hGi+QWmgCguY8e lqaqJvBIDvpKkByoWJxFttE= =JNWG -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
