linux newbie: random thoughts

Hello, Quite the group you have here. Tons of noise. Just visiting. Free Linux - got to be a wow! On advocacy, the best i can do so far is just switch to linux permanently an pbutt out my unused linux cd's. Have upgraded from an old p133 win to a k8we + opterons and linux. This is for simple home dial up and whatever. Is really a nice change though this ole box am typing on is still more useable at present for dial up. Not having much luck with the pci modems and linux configing (see below). Since i only have dial up and expect the same for the future, i purchase cd distros. Have in the distant past purchased on the shelf retail distros to try out occasionally. After a while the distro shuffle $ do add up. Not so much a concern initially but with several distros and then over time newer versions, we are over the initial cost of win that am now using. Some cd sets and dvds seem to be more than just the cost of the media even though they are not the full retail supported package. Do any of the online distro mills also help support devolvement of specific distro open source thru sales? Pardon if i don't know what am asking but my upgrade is still a bare bone box in progress.(Still to decide on final distro and hardware.) Even the hardware purchases gives pause on how to support commercial manufactures= yet promoting open source. A pointer to some light reading on how to support completely open and free software devolvement and hardware manufactures without.....? I don't mind paying for software but the present concept of closed source proprietary with their eulas and patent wars seem totally ridiculous and unacceptable. I do have a couple of programs here in win that have been outstandingly stable and supported through out their versions. For them i would gladly actually read and honor their eula paying for a new version if needed. Sadly the base they sit on has become unacceptable to move forward on. No not much interested in wine though it is a useable tool. Any support i provide will be minor $ and user base as am in no way a command line junkie. Opps.., so how am i going t install this gentoo.:) Never mind. In time perhaps;) Seem to have trouble with configing my modems for ppp dial up. Yes I know there be google and tons of reading. So far no luck. Forgot which distro and method i used to get modem query to query. In knoppix livedvd 4.0.2 the included pdf book on version 3.x.x suggests most pci modems are win modems and will be difficult or not work. I thought that "win modem" troubles, related to win software modems and the typical USR pci modem was a hardware modem. Drat. It is my buttumption that in the installed suse 10.0 amd x86 64 smp or the fedora core4 the modem will be workable once i get serious - asking the right questions in the right place. But perhaps there is a pure hardware pci pcie pcix usb modem that is......more agreeable to open source? On that note in the future i would like a nice sound card. Options presently are pci pcie pcix for a manufacture that is "open?" to linux. Am using a SB live sound card just now as the onboard was a bit goofy. Mostly due to my fine established linux expertise:) Though i did read a paragraph somewhere part of the problem was interupt related. May get back to it to see one day. Ahhhhh all these sticky proprietary patient issues do impact linux software-hareware. Booting with a 6600 nvidia card and 3d is not auto setup. Likely due to some proprietary issue. Just grumpin not yet looking for answer. Seems every piece of hardware in my old box or new box is recognized. Not necessarily natively supported but there. This k8we has a single sata2 drive on it and no distro fails to see it or boot from it. Though the knoppix 3.8.1 version of parted-qtparted has some bug with this hardware-setup so i don't now use them. For video have mixed up lcd-crt 6600-mmx4000 with several distros and no install or usage problems from several distros other than that 3d bit on some game i tried. LMAO at the speed of the live knoppix install and ability to dump into ram or the hard drive. With a couple of beers, a clbuttical(or whatever) cd and the xine screen is an excellent relax:) I read linux needs some person games. For me xgalaga is still enjoyable. More than enough games. There is not much shortage of programs on these dvd's. Waaaayy more than enough. Though as newbie it is nice to have them all available. smiles at bmi splot net