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PCMCIA is different to PC card, isn't it? I thought a PC card was for a desktop and a PCMCIA for a laptop?
That was my impression too.
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My Audigy 2 Value always worked perfectly with Linux 2.6. In fact, Creatives cards are among the few with real hardware-mixing in Linux(meaning you won't need to mess around with dmix or esound to be able to play several sounds at once). I don't know if there are problems with the PCMIA-versions, but the PCI-cards are highly recommended on most Linux forums.
It depends upon what card it is. If you look in the ALSA database the developers are unfamiliar with the new hardware and can't easily write drivers for the Audigy 4 and the X-FI. Any old fool can recommend a Creative card to you (most of us aren't Gamers though). I am partially biased and don't like the company too much for numerous reasons, but if works for you why not

(you might as well just get an EM-U PCMCIA card). The hardware mixing can be a plus though sometimes.