Do end users get a message (from developers) that a majority of devices have no driver?
Do end users truly get a message (from developers) that Intel only is supported?
To answer both questions: Probably not. End users tend to have a lot on their plate that demands their attention - being underpaid at work, family issues, and a lot of other things that real life throws at them. So even if a dev tells the users something, most likely the end user will not truly understand the dev anyway.
To address the first question: Yeah, quite a few devices on the market don't have drivers. Take SANE (Scanner Access Now Easy). Yeah, it lists a lot of devices (particularly from Epson) as supported. Trouble is, the vast majority of scanner models listed as supported under SANE - they are no longer on the market. I have an Epson scanner (Can't recall the model off the top of my head) that is frankly a very good device, it still works (even though I bought it before 2010) - but it was never supported by SANE.
Webcams are another troublesome area - there's a LOT of devices and brands on the market, both built-in and USB-based. Not all of them work properly under Linux or FreeBSD, even with
webcamd and
linux-compat. End users are not always inclined to spend the time troubleshooting what went wrong, and figuring out if fixes even exist. And that's not exactly a sin - their expertise is elsewhere. Most users are computer-literate just enough to be able to do their jobs.
To address the second question: I'm sorry
grahamperrin , but your reply does kind of miss the point I'm trying to make... My point is that even with working Intel drivers, getting wifi to connect properly, consistently, and easily is like trying to solve a complicated logic puzzle. Yes, it is possible to connect the wifi card properly - but end users are unlikely to be inclined to learn the proper syntax and values that
/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf requires. And troubleshooting what went wrong THERE - what comes first, second, third, how, and why - I'm often willing to do that, and learn how to do it, and spend time and effort doing that - because I'm an enthusiast, and the Forums are a place for people with similar inclinations. But most end users are not like that - they'd rather spend their time doing something else, especially when they may or may not get positive results.
