From owner-freebsd-hackers  Thu May 25 13:22:45 1995
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From: Julian Elischer <julian@ref.tfs.com>
Message-Id: <199505251945.MAA27592@ref.tfs.com>
Subject: Re: Drivers for FORE systems cards under FreeBSD
To: pss@fore.com
Date: Thu, 25 May 1995 12:45:27 -0700 (PDT)
Cc: phk@ref.tfs.com, rv@fore.com, hackers@FreeBSD.org, announce@FreeBSD.org
In-Reply-To: <9505250204.AA12419@loach.fore.com> from "Pragnesh Sampat" at May 24, 95 10:04:35 pm
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> 
> FreeBSD/NetBSD (with whatever restrictions it has regarding the sources
> etc.,).  This is different from the above paragraph and has not changed at
> all.
> 
> > Oh and btw, what is the prices for your boards ?
> > 
> 
> I really don't know.  I mostly have rough ideas. It is best to contact
> "info@fore.com" to find out exactly.  And, these things keep changing
> because of competetion, new hardware revisions etc., etc., so I am
> generally in a bad position to quote these prices.  As a rough idea on the
> ESA-200PC board for example, the last I knew, it used to be (approximately)
> between $1600 and $1900 depending on the physical media.
> 
this shows the stupidity of the situation...
with cards this expensive, (a good $800 of this must be going to
recoup development costs) they would ony need to sell 30 cards
extra to get the money back from not SELLING the info at 20K$

considering that a normal installation might use 15 cards,
that's just 2 installations. (and don't forget
the installation would include a switch (probably an ASX200) more $$)

If they just gave away the sources, and info
EVERYbody would use FORE stuff by default, and their position
as leaders would be strengthenned. 
They would also be able to be in 'control' of the standard
in the same way that CSRG was the authorative voice on sockets and TCP/IP,
Fore would be the Authoratative voice in ATM interface technology.
Look at Hayes.. they are still in business purely because
they have the prestige of having their name in EVERY OTHER modem
manufacturer's manual..

If Fore were to make more information and sample drivers available,
it woukd do the company a lot of GOOD, short and Long term..
as it is.. Fore will eventually fall prey to other companies.


julian
> 
>