Text 3594, 76 rader
Skriven 2005-10-03 16:24:28 av Maurice Kinal (1:340/401.1)
   Kommentar till text 3587 av MARTIN ATKINS (1:123/140)
Ärende: software for linspire
=============================
Hey MARTIN!

Oct 02 21:51 05, MARTIN ATKINS wrote to MAURICE KINAL:

 MA> Ahhh. That makes it probable that pppd does handle the serial ports
 MA> for the graphical dialer.

Possibly.  If it does then at least part of the code is simular to setserial if
using a serial based modem.  There are modems these days that don't use a
phoneline or serial port.  However, most of those use dhcpcd instead of pppd
and are configured through an ethernet interface as opposed to a serial port.

 MA> This would also apply to pppd. The way i look at it all three 
 MA> programs
 MA> send strings to the modem and so they are modem controllers.

No.  setserial doesn't care what hardware is attached.  It's job is to ensure
the serial port is configured properly so that the software and hardware
cooperate.

 MK>> Right.  Serial same as a modem except different.  

 MA> In what way different? Does it have a different shape plug to the 
 MA> standard serial port or is the wireing different?

It can be the same or directly wired in.

 MA> So instead of fax or data you are sending strings to the gps modem
 MA> telling it to send data 4800 at whatever compression the software
 MA> understands. :) 

Yes except most often you are receiving data from the reciever (ASCII).  I've
never encounterd one that does compression.  What for?  If archiving that data
it would be best to let the computer handle compression then, if desired.

As far as sending data to the reciever it is a simular strategy as AT commands
to a modem but they aren't AT commands.  Also I've seen init strings with
32-bit information which I have never encountered in any other serial based
hardware.

 MA> That's a decision best left to you. You could technically use any
 MA> of the server protocols. Provided the end user has the software
 MA> to interpret the data stream.

Exactly.

 MA> I don't have gps. :) I still think that setserail is sending a string
 MA> to the gps hardware to send data at 4800. 

Nope.  It is simply setting the port to the correct setting so that
communications between the device and the computer are in sync and using the
same protocol.  You still require sofware or a script to take care of the rest.

 MA> Although we don't have a problem here other than cost, some people 
 MA> have 
 MA> no choice but to use a modem.

Right.  That doesn't seem to be an issue here anymore.

 MA> PCI and ISA slots are good for all 
 MA> sorts
 MA> of things but not for dialing out. People who buy machines with 
 MA> internal 
 MA> modems just to save a few dollars should be shot at dawn.

I don't care.  It's their dime.  :-)

It won't happen on mine though, even if the hardware is free.  There are vastly
superior ways to network that is as inexpensive over the shortterm and has the
potential of savings over the longterm.

Life is good,
Maurice

--- Msged/LNX 6.1.2
 * Origin: Coffin Point - Ladysmith, BC Canada (1:340/401.1)