I see that there is a proposal to make NM (Network Manager) a standard feature of Fedora-8, replacing system-config-network in its various forms. I don't think this is a good idea. NM does not work with my Orinoco PCMCIA classic gold card. It sends out a message saying something like "Get a better card". Basically, I believe the Orinoco card does not support the kind of scanning that NM uses. The Orinoco card has an exceptionally good antenna - much better than any other PCMCIA or USB WiFi device I have tried. The card works perfectly without NM, and NM doesn't really offer anything I need. I realize that NM works perfectly for many people, and it is fine to offer it as a package, even a recommended one. But the alternatives should not be removed. I actually think NM tries to do far too much. I don't seen any advantage in software that deals with WiFi and ethernet together. (NM seems to try to work with Bluetooth also.) As Ken Thompson said, "A program should do one thing, and do that well". In my experience, WiFi is already complicated enough. If it works it is fine; but if it doesn't it is rather difficult to work out what is wrong. I don't think system-config-network (or its GUI variants) is very good, but at least it is along the right lines. I wish some effort could be put into improving this.
