Ever since I started running OSX* on my Powerbook (Lombard), I've
experienced difficulties using the modem. Sometimes it takes two or
three attempts to negotiate a connection, and often the connection is
dropped because "the other side is not responding". This occurs even
when using the same phone line as my desktop (8500, USR 56k modem, OS
10.2.8), where I rarely have connection problems. This problem seemed to
have been resolved in 10.3.4, but yesterday I updated to 10.3.5 w/
security update '04-09-16, and it's back, worse than ever. I was
completely unable to connect using the internal modem v.90 script, only
by using the v.34 script was I able to connect.

So, has anyone else seen this? ISTR that this is the same modem used in
the B&WG3s and maybe the early G4s, does it affect them too?

My plan at this point is to install 10.3.4 on an empty partition I have
on the Powerbook, and see how it works from there, but I'd appreciate
any other suggestions.

As a possibly related aside, my wife has a three month old 15" Powerbook
running 10.3.5 that is unable to detect a dial tone. It worked when she
first got it, but since it's maintained by her employer, I don't know
what updates have been done on it. I tried all the standard procedures:
different cables (included the "modem cable" that came with it);
different phone lines; trash preferences; empty caches; created a new
location; change user accounts; all to no avail. I don't have a firewire
drive to try to boot it off of, so at this point it's up to her employer
to deal with. But there is a thread in the Powerbook section of Apple
discussions of someone else having exactly the same issue, so it's not
completely isolated.

* Starting with 10.1.5. 10.3.2 was installed fresh on a new hard drive,
and immediately updated to 10.3.4.

--
Fudo
DAM, IJAL

In article <fudo-CE9964.11463928102004@www.thurston.com>, fudo
<fudo@spamblocked.invalid> wrote:

> This problem seemed to
> have been resolved in 10.3.4, but yesterday I updated to 10.3.5 w/
> security update '04-09-16, and it's back, worse than ever. I was
> completely unable to connect using the internal modem v.90 script, only
> by using the v.34 script was I able to connect.


And this is why I will no longer use Macintosh once my old (pre X)
machine dies. You sound like a windows user... After downloading
Windows NT revision 157 (with security update 11/02/2004 4:30 PM) my
system didn't function the same way as it did with revision 156.

Remember a time when the system was only updated a few times and we
didn't NEED security updates? I would imagine at this point that OS X
has gone through more versions than all of the other systems combined.
I have friends who have made the microsoft update page their homepage
since there is a new revision to windows every few days...has anyone
here in the "secure and user friendly" world of Mac done that yet?

In article <021120041747270690%Spam_Dies@My.Fingertips>,
Spaminator <Spam_Dies@My.Fingertips> wrote:

> And this is why I will no longer use Macintosh once my old (pre X)
> machine dies. You sound like a windows user... After downloading
> Windows NT revision 157 (with security update 11/02/2004 4:30 PM) my
> system didn't function the same way as it did with revision 156.
>
> Remember a time when the system was only updated a few times and we
> didn't NEED security updates? I would imagine at this point that OS X
> has gone through more versions than all of the other systems combined.
> I have friends who have made the microsoft update page their homepage
> since there is a new revision to windows every few days...has anyone
> here in the "secure and user friendly" world of Mac done that yet?

You know, you make a valid point, which I largely agree with, and then
you kill it with over-the-top hyperbole. Comparing OSX to Windows, with
it's daily security patches? Please. Things are bad, but not *that* bad.

But back to your main point: I wonder how long it was I ran OS 9.1
without any updates. Two, two-and-a-half years, maybe? I could be doing
the same with OSX; in fact, I've had 10.2.8 running on my desktop for
about a year now, with what looks to be about a patch every month, but
I'll bet I could have ignored them and not suffered serious
consequences. After all, the patches are against conceptual flaws, not
flaws that have actually been exploited, and I'm on dial-up, so I'm not
much of a target. But really, the days of running an OS for years
without patches are gone. There are just too many people out there with
the ability and desire to exploit flaws to be ignored. It's sad, but
that's the reality. So where are you going to go when your old Mac dies?

As for the 10.3->10.3.2->10.3.4->10.3.5 dance, surely, some of that is
market driven. i.e., if you're not adding "new features", you're not
doing anything. It reminds me quite a bit of the few years I spent in
corporate America; every year, we would have a "reorganization", which
mostly consisted of everyone playing musical offices. They would hire a
moving company to come in, pack everything up, and shuffle it to some
other location in the building. Maybe all that reflected some politics
playing out way over my head; to me, it just looked like doing
*anything*, to make it look like something was being accomplished.

Oh, and BTW, in case anyone is interested in the reason for my original
post, the modem problem was resolved by a modem firmware updater. I'd
post the url, but I can't locate it right now.

--
Fudo
DAM, IJAL