The networking cards issue is another one of those "ammunition" things for
Windows users.  Why should someone have to spend 2x on a product just
because they can't get Linux to work with a $20 card.  I had two generic
NE2000 type cards sitting here and they worked fine in Windows boxes but I
had to finally give up on using them in my Linux box(es).  I realize there
are a lot of PNP issues, but how difficult does it *have* to be.   We can
point the finger at manufacturers for many problems and proprietary issues
that lock up the market for WinModems/WinPrinters/etc.   I know it's going
to be frustrating to new users coming in and realizing that they'll have to
be a hardware/softare genius to make a $20 card work, but a $65 card will
work with no problems.  

-- Bradley Miller