[vox-tech] i've lost the ability to compile a kernel/Modem suggestions?

[Peter Jay Salzman]

begin Joey Karalius <jwkaralius@ucdavis.edu> 
> Questions from a newbie...
> How often should one compile a kernel?

three reasons to compile a kernel:
1. to get extra functionality that you need (ie- radeon support in >2.4.10)
2. because it's cool
3. to learn

when i first started using linux, i compiled a kernel every time a new kernel
appeared.  i also played around with various options and functionality.
about once every few weeks.

these days, you can see for yourself:

-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1063157 Oct  5 11:20 vmlinuz-2.4.10
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1090401 Nov 18 23:46 vmlinuz-2.4.13
-rw-r--r--    1 root     root      1090307 Nov 30 11:55 vmlinuz-2.4.16

i skipped over 2.4.11, 2.4.12, 2.4.14 and 2.4.15.

> I assume whenever there is a new 
> one out, but would the existing kernel ever need to be recompiled, 

no.  once it's compiled, it's compiled.

> also.....
> I was at Frye's looking for a new dialup modem to use on my Red Hat 
> 7.2/Win98SE dual boot box.  Any suggestions?  Are there internal 
> controller-based models, or are externals the only way to go...  If 
> external, can more than one 'puter work through the same modem?
 
go for either external or ISA internal.

someone, somewhere, somehow, for some reason, built a serial y-splitter.
like the "truth", "it's out there".

pete