From owner-freebsd-current Sat Aug 3 06:22:11 1996 Return-Path: owner-current Received: (from root@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) id GAA07183 for current-outgoing; Sat, 3 Aug 1996 06:22:11 -0700 (PDT) Received: from pcnet1.pcnet.com (root@pcnet1.pcnet.com [204.213.232.3]) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) with SMTP id GAA07178 for ; Sat, 3 Aug 1996 06:22:09 -0700 (PDT) Received: from rigel (ts3-pt24.pcnet.com) by pcnet1.pcnet.com (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA07240; Sat, 3 Aug 96 09:18:04 EDT Message-Id: <3203539D.41C67EA6@iworks.InterWorks.org> Date: Sat, 03 Aug 1996 09:26:53 -0400 From: "Daniel M. Eischen" X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0b5aGold (X11; I; FreeBSD 2.2-CURRENT i386) Mime-Version: 1.0 To: michaelv@HeadCandy.com Cc: freebsd-current@freebsd.org, wangel@wgrobez1.remote.louisville.edu Subject: Re: FlashPoint LT Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-current@freebsd.org X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk > >> Does FreeBSD support the Buslogic FlashPoint LT ? > > >BusLogic will not release programming information on the FlashPoint SCSI > >controller. They have given the Linux BusLogic driver author good support > >for their other SCSI controllers. > > Actually, the API to their older cards is quite open, and anyone can > get the documents -- they did nothing special (as far as I know -- I > have the Technical Reference Manual myself) for the Linux folks in > this respect. Well, BusLogic senior management have met with the Linux driver author regarding Linux and free software support for the FlashPoint. BusLogic also used the Linux driver author for Beta-testing the BT-948/958 with Linux before the products were brought to market. The author has also received support from the BusLogic technical staff. > >There is an upgrade plan (instigated > >by the Linux driver author) to replace the FlashPoint with one of their > >other controllers that are supported by Linux. I believe the upgrade > >cost to a better controller is in the $25-45 (US) range. Contact BusLogic > >and tell them you're running Linux. > > I think it would be better to specifically make the point that you are > running free "unix" and it is *not* Linux. I really dislike the fad > of Linux being used as the generic term for free "unix". Then point > out that FreeBSD (and NetBSD) has supported their older cards very > faithfully through the years, and you would like it if FreeBSD could > continue to support their cards. After that is said, say that FreeBSD > is "like" Linux, and the same deal that works for Linux will work for > you. I agree :). I just thought it would be easier to get an upgrade if you mentioned "Linux". > > >The FreeBSD BusLogic driver is (I believe) scheduled for revamping, so > >an upgrade to one of the other BusLogic controllers should be worthwhile. > > But even without revamping, it could arguably be the most stable SCSI > driver in the source tree. It just won't be quite as efficient, or > quite as fast if you have really high-end hard drives.