Brian, I have not followed this thread. Let me just try to look at your case from a different angle. You wish to using Linux to possibly later abandon Windows. You have a 64 bits system, an AMD processor identified by Linux as an x86_64 device which is able to work as a 32 bits processor. You luckily (no kidding) own a Lucent/Agere Mars 1 modem fully supported in 32 bits mode by the martian driver, with the caveat that perhaps support might be limited at this time to a kernel somewhat older than 2.6.35.-22. I would like to suggest that your computer will work to your entire satisfaction to the point of not being able to feel a difference, if you would install a 32 bits version of Linux in place of the current 64 bits. If in addition you select to install not the last but perhaps one or two before the last kernels, clearly labelled as having been tested in 32 bits mode with the martian driver, you will be able to install the martian driver off the shelf, pre-compiled or easily compiled. A beginner Linux user previously using Windows is not likely to quickly reach heavy computations where running in 32 bits mode might be sensed as weaker than in 64 bits mode. I happen to own a 10 years old laptop with the same modem as yours - with a 32 bits only processor. If this would encourage you to solve your case by easily implementing on your computer a 32 bits Linux version, I am quite willing to test the expected success for you on my old unused but working laptop. You may never have heard that in many universities and research centers the 32 bits mode is often recommended over the 64 bits mode for very good reasons such as problems like yours. I am using Fedora rather than Ubuntu (because the authors of Ubuntu keep introducing features and layouts off the central Linux track and because the unscreened Ubuntu alleged documentation which I tried to use was so often misleading). I am doing a lot of heavily demanding Physics simulations. The 64 bits improved performance is hardly measurable and certainly only when extended 128 bits precision is necessary for accuracy. Best regards Jacques
