[yanonymous2]

Compared to installing Windows, which often lacks drivers for the network adapters, installing Linux is a breeze.

Good luck getting those Windows drivers without a working internet connection. And good luck explaining your solution to the average, non-technical user.

[AnIdiotOnTheNet]

The situation is pretty similar for both. If your driver isn't part of the install, you have to go find it on the internet. With Windows, this usually isn't too bad because it has stable driver ABIs, but with Linux you may have to compile the driver to get it to work.

That said, it's been a long time since I last saw this situation on either OS.

[donttrack]

What? That doesn't make any sense at all. Someone goes through the trouble of developing a network adapter and doesn't provide a Windows driver??? What DO they provide drivers for then??

[qu4z-2]

The issue is (used to be) that they'd develop the Windows drivers, and publish them... on their website. Whereas the Linucies would bundle pretty much all the supported drivers on the install disk.

Precisely because the vendors only write Windows drivers, if it's supported on Linux it's probably in the kernel tree.