[PLUG] [OT ? ?? ???] Linux and computer literacy

[Richard Owlett]

On 06/24/2018 06:48 PM, wes wrote:
> [snip]
> 
> I've just ordered one so I can play with it for a bit myself. Perhaps at
> the next Linux Clinic, if we have time, we can invite Richard to
> participate remotely.

Should be "educational" ;/
I know of the existence of software, but have never attempted using.
What software is used? Is there a good tutorial for someone coming to it 
cold?

> 
> I also found the following writeups of people doing similar things with
> this device:
> 
> http://paulswasteland.blogspot.com/2014/01/getting-prolific-pl-2501-based-usb-to.html
> https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-networking-3/host-to-host-cable%3B-no-usb0-779573/
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/516923
> https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=131042
> 
> The last one suggests that it "just works" - the previous 3 are older and
> talk about requiring a patch to a kernel module to get this cable to work.
> We don't really know what Richard's particular situation is.

The last one triggered some searches and following a mish-mash of links.
I saw multiple mention of "USBNET" but I don't any Debian references 
although the are Ubuntu related links.

When searching Synaptic separately for Avahi and zeroconf I do have 
several modules installed. Am I missing a particular module. I'm 
currently running Debian 9 but don't have the DVD set. I have a Debian 8 
set and will do a less minimalist install.

I also suspect that I need to use an older version to math what various 
references were using. I suspect that change of device naming 
conventions is muddying the waters - I've DVD sets going back to Squeeze.