[kyle]

Having read a load of good stuff about Mandrake 9.1 Final (Bamboo) I downladed the 3 Cd's (Nearly 10 hours - even on fast connection due to overload of Mirrors)

Booted up --- PCMCIA started -- I thought -- Good .


Tried to set up eth1 connection --- guess what -- Laptop Hangs just like previous releases

Tried 4 -- yes 4 different wireless cards in my laptop -- surely 1 would work -- Oh no.

Using a Lucent Technologies Orinoco Gold card -- one of the most compatable wireless cards around anywhere. Card activates -- can start eth1 but as soon as I try to connect to internet computer hangs.

Netgear Ma401 (not the MA401RA version) didn't work - computer hangs as soon as pcmcia service is started.

Belkin didn't work -- not even recognized - just ignored.
/sbin/cardctl ident didn't even show a card -- just cardbus oz.....

same for US Robotics 22 MPS wireless card.

If I can't connect my Laptop to a Wireless network then it's back to 'Doze and Mr Gates.

The distro works fine on my desktop -- but PLEASE GUYS -- Laptops are a MUST these days especially 1) people on the move
2) If end users are ever going to move away from Windows.

The rest of the package is fine -- DVD playing / writing, Open office a good replacement for Microsoft office etc, CD writing
file sharing etc

But WIRELESS MUST WORK ON A LAPTOP. This is a 100% showstopper.

So any people out there concerned with building new distros please do more checking with laptops.

Otherwise Mandrake job well done.