Who cares? The chip was fully documented, sufficient for the Linux kernel devs to publish a fully functioning driver back in 2002.
It works in Linux today. It worked in Linux in 2002. It doesn't work in Windows XP, the most widely used Windows version.
You are making a lot of excuses for something that is really straightforward.
And that is a flat out lie from the author. I can prove it so, you're welcome to come over ANY time and I'll reload a bone stock XP (not even SP1 or SP2) install on my Dell D505.
The chipset used in my laptop is the Intel 855GME. It uses the Intel PRO 100 Wired Ethernet. Which is based on the 82557 chipset. And it finds it perfectly fine.
So we have conclusive proof that I have the EXACT same Ethernet driver chip as the author, and I can assure you that I have zero issues. You're more than welcome to come and watch an install any time you like.
The author is simply wrong. He's either lying, or he biffed his slipstream CD and is not man enough to admit it. And I can understand you are a Linux fan, but your hatred for all things Microsoft is tinting your objectivity.
Oh, and if you want to know, the XP install on my laptop takes around 20 minutes, everything works right out. Bone stock XP, not SP1 or SP2. This is a Dell D505 Latitude.
Too bad the same can't be said about Linux on this exact same machine...
Which would be 1 year AFTER XP shipped. Vista and 2008 detect the adapter in my PowerEdges fine.
And remember it DOES work in XP, you just have to spend 3 minutes installing a driver from a disk you were provided. Not that tough.