The Linux Modem Problem?

muonman asks: "There is a business in town which refurbishes old computers and distributes them to kids, roughly at cost. Part of this cost is a $5 license for Windows 98 (they do use OpenOffice, tho). I have outlined to them the benefits of migrating to Linux, but the showstopper is modems, which most of their customers require. They buy in bulk at $4 each, with unpredictable chipsets. I can find reliable(?) drivers for Smartlinks, but cant buy them for less than $6 each, and I hate to recommend the switch in suppliers without more info. I haven't had luck getting license info from linuxant for using Conexants. It seems there has been no activity on the linmodem front for some time. Any wisdom from the Slashdot crowd?"

Comments

relicensing Windows 98

[vinsci]

Part of this cost is a $5 license for Windows 98

In Finland, there's no need to buy a new license. After a court decision a year or two back, it was determined that the license is transferred to the new user, presumably if the seller and buyer so agrees. If you get a donated machine in Finland, make sure to agree that license is transferred as well. Don't bother with the hologram license thingie, it carries no legal strentgh in Finland, as is the case with mouseclick licenses, AFAIK.

5$ for windows -- since when?

[xoboots]

How can a license for Windows 98 be $5?

You can't get it for that price even at ebay. Something is not quite right about this one...