🚀 go-pugleaf

The Man <man@man.com> writes:

>The point I'm trying to make is that Linux is just too complex for 
>average users to set up as a member of a mixed network. Or am I wrong?

Linux WiFi connectivity is very simple nowadays. At McDonalds the other
day I picked up their "FREE WiFi" brochure and I was surprised at how
much more complicated it is to configure Windows XP and Windows Vista
clients versus Mac OSX and Linux.

Here are the instructions for Windows XP:

1. Go to Start, Control Panel then Network Connections
2. Click View Status next to Wireless Networks Connection.
3. Click on the Wireless Networks tab.
4. Highlight McDonald's FREE WiFi in the Preferred Networks section.
   If no wireless networks are displayed, ensure your wireless switch
   is on and/or wireless network list is refreshed.
5. Click on Configure or Properties and ensure that all details are
   as (fig.b), then select OK.
6. Click on the General tab.
7. Highlight the Internet Protocol TCP/IP option (fig.c)
8. Click on Properties.
9. Select Obtain an IP address automatically.
10. Select Obtain DNS server address automatically.
11. Select OK.
12. Open your web browser and go to Tools.
13. Select Internet Options
14. Select Connections.
15. Under LAN settings, open the window for Local Area Network (LAN)
    settings.
16. Ensure the following options are NOT selected:
    Automatically detect settings
    Use automatic configuration script
    Use a proxy server for your LAN.
17. Select OK.
18. If you have had to change any settings during this configuration
    process, please restart your laptop.

And the instructions for Windows Vista (even longer, can you believe
it?)

1. Go to Start, Control Panel, Network and Internet
2. Go to Network and Sharing Center.
3. Go to Manage Wireless Networks.
4. Make sure McDonald's FREE WiFi is positioned on the top of the list
   by moving it up if needed. If no wireless networks are displayed,
   ensure your wireless switch is on.
5. Highlight McDonald's FREE WiFi
6. Right click on it.
7. Select Properties.
8. Ensure all details are as (fig.1), then select OK.
9. Close the Manage Wireless Networks screen.
10. Go to Manage Network Connections.
11. Right click on Wireless Network Connection.
12. Click on Properties.
13. Click Continue.
14. Highlight the Internet Protocol Version 4 option (fig.2)
15. Click on Properties.
16. Select Obtain an IP address automatically.
17. Select Obtain DNS server address automatically.
18. Select OK.
19. Open your web browser and go to Tools.
20. Select Internet Options
21. Select Connections.
22. Under LAN settings, open the window for Local Area Network (LAN)
    settings.
23. Ensure the following options are NOT selected:
    Automatically detect settings
    Use automatic configuration script
    Use a proxy server for your LAN.
24. Select OK.
25. If you have had to change any settings during this configuration
    process, please restart your laptop.

Here are the Mac OSX instructions:

1. Click on the AirPort icons in the toolbar
2. Select Turn AirPort On
3. Select McDonald's FREE WiFi from the list of available wireless
networks.

Finally, here are the Linux instructions. I'm using a recent
Ubuntu, but any distro will work if NetworkManager is installed:

1. Click on the NetworkManager icon on the toolbar.
2. Select McDonald's FREE WiFi.

Wow, what a difference that was. 18 discrete actions required
for Windows XP, 25 (!) for Windows Vista. 3 for Mac, and 2 for
Linux. Now you tell me which system is not user-friendly?
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