Date: Sat, 03 Aug 1996 07:44:19 -0700 From: "Justin T. Gibbs" <gibbs@freefall.freebsd.org> To: "Michael L. VanLoon -- HeadCandy.com" <michaelv@HeadCandy.com> Cc: "Daniel M. Eischen" <deischen@iworks.interworks.org>, freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG, wangel@wgrobez1.remote.louisville.edu Subject: Re: FlashPoint LT Message-ID: <199608031444.HAA12930@freefall.freebsd.org> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Sat, 03 Aug 1996 01:39:39 PDT." <199608030839.BAA26559@MindBender.HeadCandy.com>
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> >>> 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. Lets just say that Leonard N. Zubkoff has some very close ties to Buslogic. He gets every new Buslogic adapter long before its released (6-8 months), has access to their firmware engineers and testing lab, etc, etc. I've actually talked to him in person about working on the Buslogic driver for *BSD, and he may pass come of his contacts on to me, but its not clear yet. >>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. Although the program was initialy created for Linux users, it applies to any freely availible Unix. The person you talk to may not understand what FreeBSD or NetBSD is when you talk to them, but they will allow you to take advantage of this offer once you explain your situation. >>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. I wouldn't be so sure. I did some initial code review a while back after my discussions with Leonard (who also looked at the BSD driver before writing his own) and there are definitely some race conditions. It may be that not supporting tagged queueing is sufficient enough of a handicap to prevent problems though. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Michael L. VanLoon michaelv@HeadCandy.com > --< Free your mind and your machine -- NetBSD free un*x >-- > NetBSD working ports: 386+PC, Mac 68k, Amiga, Atari 68k, HP300, Sun3, > Sun4/4c/4m, DEC MIPS, DEC Alpha, PC532, VAX, MVME68k, arm32... > NetBSD ports in progress: PICA, others... > > Roll your own Internet access -- Seattle People's Internet cooperative. > If you're in the Seattle area, ask me how. >----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Justin T. Gibbs =========================================== FreeBSD: Turning PCs into workstations ===========================================
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