[Dev] Chromebook C201 wifi

[Lee Strobel]

Wow. I must say, I wasn't expecting such a rant.

> i can not resist pointing out that, the only limitation you are
> considering is wireless networking; and if that computer has a USB
> port, then you have options for enabling that usage with 100% free
> software - even if your only option was to use a different kernel (it
> probably is not), that still would not prevent you from running
> the rest of the parabola system - that statement is biased from a
> viewpoint of person who uses their computer mainly for web surfing -
> that may be what most people use computers for, but it is far from
> the
> "limit" of what computers can do - for comparison, if you asked me,
> my
> view would be that most of the most useful uses of a computer do not
> require the internet or any networking; and that a laptop would never
> be any more essential than an optional luxury item in addition to my
> main desktop computer
> 

My usage needs for this device are what they are. I also have a desktop
machine already on which I run free software. The reason I bought this
Chromebook was specifically to use it as a 'netbook', i.e. mainly for
web surfing, which is the main thing it is suited for. It doesn't have
an ethernet port, and even if it did, the main places I envisage myself
using it (my bedroom, travelling) don't have convenient ethernet access
anyway.

Therefore, if it has no wifi capability, then this machine is
effectively useless (to me, at least), and I may as well throw it in
the garbage. I mean that in all seriousness. In fact, the main reason I
spent $150 on it is because the Parabola website was broadcasting to
the world: "Hey look, we have this cool new-ish netbook device that can
work with 100% free-software now!".


> to the point of your concern, if you got a USB wifi thing-a-mo-bob
> from
> think-penguin, and it does not work with parabola, then we should
> find
> out why

I agree.


> why did you send email BTW?

To start a discussion? Isn't that what mailing lists are for? The issue
on that page is 100% closed now, and I don't know how often anybody
checks it. Also, I seem to have stopped getting notification e-mails
when someone posts there, otherwise I would have noticed the other
posts about the wifi sooner.

As I mentioned in my last e-mail, I am just wondering whether the
kernel folks are aware of the issues. If not, I'd be happy to help by
posting on their mailing lists to raise awareness and/or doing some
testing to help get it working.