Comment 11 for bug 311581

Mathieu, I understand that technology *can* have a role to play (though I think that role is not as major as you might think here). I also appreciate that this is a level-headed discussion. Please understand I come from a place of passion about Linux-based operating systems, in particular Ubuntu. If you don't mind a bit of a read (and I hope this is a reasonable place to make this post) then please also understand that my frustration stemmed from the following:

* _many_ 3G modems (and, with that term, I incorporate GPRS and EDGE, since the tech involved is often transparent to the user -- the modem is simply supplied by a wireless telecoms company on a contract basis) are correctly identified and work with the usb-serial kernel module, producing what, for all intents and purposes, looks "like" a serial modem to client apps. Even more of these modems can be "made to work" by getting their vendor/hardware id's forced at the time of module load -- not trivial for a newbie, but fairly simple to do (all things considered) when following some kind of instructions to edit default module parameters or try out with a modprobe line. The point is that as soon as usb-serial has recognised this device, the actual establishing of a connection via pppd is trival to script from a dev's point of view -- I would have expected the basics of ppp network setup to be available. In other words, the hardware here is not the issue. Whether you have a HUAWEI or a cheap Siemens modem, whether you use one of the zillions of phones out there which present a modem interface via cable, establishing a connection to the internet should be really simple with these devices -- and is, if you have a background in Linux networking. It's just that the common user is left out in the cold -- as is the lazy expert (:
* Even if ppp connections can't be configured through NM (as with wicd, another fine lan/wireless network helper), the problem remains that the client-space applications all believe NM on the opinion it has with respect to "being online". The general idea of being able to help the user with an online status is neat -- just not well thought-out if it doesn't cater for one of the most common methods for connecting to the internet -- most especially at the time of the original post and my "+1". Now that wireless routers and DSL are becoming more of the "norm", the importance of this issue may actually, if anything, be dwindling a little. But I would still count it as important.
* A larger issue is that gnome-ppp (or similar) isn't installed by default. NM is -- and could fill this gap. So the user gets a dvd/cd from a friend/colleague who is a FLOSS-pusher, installs (or hits the "try me out" option) and finds that something which was really trivial to do under her other installed OS is not immediately available to her -- and, as far as I can see, for no particularly good reason (yes, there's dev-time -- and yes, I should be putting my programming skills where my mouth is!) when the establishment of a ppp connection over a serial device has been the granddaddy of internet connection methods -- and typically something Linux-based systems actually do *better*: faster, better intrinsic hardware support (ie often no need to install extra 3rd-party drivers), more reliably -- in my opinion.
* NM offers "Mobile Broadband" and "DSL" connections but won't let the user tweak the devices to use -- it's just like NM is so close, but missing that crucial cigar -- and I can't rationalise why. Perhaps someone else can?