Review on GODSHARK Parallel Expansion Converter Controller by Ray Cole

***EDIT: After I've calmed down. The item description doesn't mention Linux support, so giving it a bad review is very unfair. But if a buyer hopes it will support Linux, be aware that it doesn't. I knew I was in danger of getting drivers/support. The driver CD contains the Linux drivers. There are many subfolders to look in, but if you look at the PCI card, the main chip says CH351Q. In Driver/WCH/ I see a subfolder for CH35XDRV. Looks promising. In this folder you will see DRV_1PA, DRV_1PB, DRV_2S1P.etc.,. Assuming it's either DRV_1PA or 1PB (seems to refer to 1 parallel port). You continue down the rabbit hole and end up in Driver/WCH/CH35XDRV/DRV_1PA/LINUX/driver. Now I see. Source. OK. I have to build it myself. Excellent. There is a makefile. Problem #1, Makefile only supports kernels up to version 3.x. I'm hacking the makefile to build it for my 4.x kernel. Compilation errors then occur because something has changed in the tty mutex mechanism in later kernels. Mutex_lock/unlock for termios_mutex needs to be changed to down_write/up_write for termios_rwsem. This works and the code now creates and instantiates the objects. Yes! Do install and modprobe to download the driver. At least I now have 2 serial ports routed to the PCI bus! There are 2 slots on the card for ports that could probably be serial ports (empty). But that's not what I bought the stinky thing for! Despite all my problems, I now have 2 serial ports on my PC that I don't know about. I don't want to and can't use it. *sigh*. It seems to have almost everything. If only they had a driver that supports the parallel port, I'd be up for it. In its current form. I might as well throw it in the trash can. I'll have to try another provider and see if I have better luck.