Very Computer

I am looking to buy some hardware that will be compatible with Linux and
*BSD and NOT depend upon proprietary drivers.  Unfortunately, the Linux
Hardware Database (tried both http://www.linuxhardwaredatabase.com/ and
http://lhd.datapower.com/) is either down or has ceased to exist (cannot
raise the server), and the few reviews (of items below) that I sampled on
http://www.linuxhardware.org/ seem to be rather incomplete and mostly quite
old (at least up to 1 year).  Thus, I am posting to these 2 newsgroups for
advice.  (We really need a Linux + *BSD on-line equivalent of what
_Consumer Reports_ used to be before it started catering to the lowest
common denominator of consumers.)

Hardware needed (on-board is OK for the items after motherboard if it meets
the requirements below):

1.      Motherboard + x86-compatible CPU:  on-board serial ATA would be
        nice although not mandatory; on-board USB 2.0 and/or FireWire
        would be nice although not mandatory
2.      Video card:  provision for digital output is not mandatory, but
        would be really nice
3.      Sound card (music quality)
4.      Network card
5.      Optical drive (CD-RW or rewritable DVD -- multiple format if
        the latter)
6.      Printer (ink jet preferred) or multi-function device (must
        have both good scanning and printing image quality, otherwise
        it is better to get separate devices); low cost of consumables
        is also important

My requirements (for all of the above hardware):

1.      Hardware must not depend upon proprietary drivers from the
        manufacturer to be fully supported by at least 1 of Linux
        and/or the *BSDs.  Proprietary drivers are guarantors of bugs
        and obsolescence, and also provide for back doors into your
        system (both back doors by accident that crackers can use
        illegally, and back doors on purpose that companies and
        agencies can use legally to act as crackers).
2.      Hardware must be stable.  Freedom from crashes and other
        glitches (and certainly from hard failures) is more important
        than speed or glitzy features.
3.      Although high performance and features are not the highest
        priority, the hardware should have enough of each to provide
        protection from obsolescence for a handful of years (and it
        certainly should not be already obsolete when I buy it).
4.      All features must follow standards -- I don't want to get stuck
        with orphan technology (like the wrong DVD or digital video
        connection standard).
5.      Low price and decent warranty policy.

--
Lucius Chiaraviglio

To get the exact address:          ^^^    ^replace this with 'r'
                                   |||
    replace this with single digit meaning the same thing
(Spambots of Doom, take that!).

For linux hardware, try this
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Hardware-HOWTO/index.html

In our last episode,

the lovely and talented Lucius Chiaraviglio
broadcast on comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:

Quote:> I am looking to buy some hardware that will be compatible with Linux and
> *BSD and NOT depend upon proprietary drivers.

         Beware.  You may be led to believe that if Linux support
         exists for something, it will work on FreeBSD.

         That is not so.

         Although FreeBSD claims to have Linux compatibility, that
         claim is - to put it kindly - a complete fiction.

--

                     The US Constitution wasn't perfect,
                  But it was better than what we have now.
            The Asses of Evil:  Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft

Quote:>         Although FreeBSD claims to have Linux compatibility, that
>         claim is - to put it kindly - a complete fiction.

The other day I downloaded Mozilla 1.0.1 for Linux and installed
it on my FreeBSD 4.4 box. It simply worked. Not bad for 'a complete
fiction', I would say.

Nils.

F'up-to set.

--

        Thanks, but should be www.xfree86.org.  I notice that it has no
information about video cards that require manufacturer-supplied binaries,
like I heard some ATI and Matrox cards required -- is this no longer the
case for these video cards?  I also heard that essentially all cards with
TV interface capability require manufacturer-supplied binaries -- is this
no longer the case?

Quote:>: 6.      Printer (ink jet preferred) or multi-function device (must
>:        have both good scanning and printing image quality, otherwise
>:        it is better to get separate devices); low cost of consumables
>:        is also important
>:
>    CUPS, lp with the appropriate filters and SANE are what you
>    are looking for. All have websites, all are available from the
>    FreeBSD ports system.

        Where does CUPS have its hardware compatibility list?  I notice that
www.linuxprinting.org does have a hardware compatibility list (which I have
not yet had the chance to go through recently), but this indicates that some
printing support is provided by something other than CUPS (which leaves open
the possibility that some printers might be supported on Linux but not on
the *BSDs).

Quote:>:[. . .]
>: 4.      All features must follow standards -- I don't want to get stuck
>:        with orphan technology (like the wrong DVD or digital video

                                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Quote:>:        connection standard).

          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Quote:>:
>    Well, the source is always available for you to inspect,
>    so you can verify how well it follows standards. :-)

        What I meant was that the hardware should also follow standards (see
"^^^^" above).

Quote:>: 5.      Low price and decent warranty policy.
>:
>    You have to chase the hardware price on your own, along with
>    the warranty. As for the software, low price genreally follows
>    as a given. Warranty, on the other hand, is generally not provided.
>    On the other hand, you can always fix it yourself. :-)

        True enough, but it would be nice for (for instance) a motherboard
to come with a decent replacement warranty.

--
Lucius Chiaraviglio

To get the exact address:          ^^^    ^replace this with 'r'
                                   |||
    replace this with single digit meaning the same thing
(Spambots of Doom, take that!).

Most of the time, the filter will be what allows you to print to a
certain printer.  Check out apsfilter, which is available for
FreeBSD in the ports.

--
Stephen Paskaluk
4th Year Computer Engineering
University of Alberta