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Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.announce Path: sserve!cserve.cs.adfa.oz.au!wkt From: wkt@cserve.cs.adfa.oz.au (Warren Toomey) Subject: Minnie up/down for a bit Message-ID: <1993Jul13.000033.4171@sserve.cc.adfa.oz.au> Sender: news@sserve.cc.adfa.oz.au Organization: Australian Defence Force Academy Date: Tue, 13 Jul 1993 00:00:33 GMT Approved: wkt@csadfa.cs.adfa.oz.au The ftp site minnie.cs.adfa.oz.au will be up/down for a bit while I attempt to install a second ESDI drive in her. The thing's being a bit recalcitrent, I'll have to use a bigger hammer. Many thanks in advance for your patience! Warren Toomey wkt@csadfa.cs.adfa.oz.au #! rnews 3379 sserve.cc.adfa.oz.au Xref: sserve comp.os.linux:47711 comp.os.386bsd.questions:3761 comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:60056 comp.windows.x.i386unix:2473 Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!news.Hawaii.Edu!ames!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!geraldo.cc.utexas.edu!sylvester.cc.utexas.edu!not-for-mail From: vax@sylvester.cc.utexas.edu (Vax) Newsgroups: comp.os.linux,comp.os.386bsd.questions,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.windows.x.i386unix Subject: Re: SUMMARY: 486DX2/66 for Unix conclusions (fairly long) Date: 12 Jul 1993 18:23:58 -0500 Organization: The University of Texas - Austin Lines: 43 Message-ID: <21srqe$25t@sylvester.cc.utexas.edu> References: <mr2CA1Az4.J2E@netcom.com> <1993Jul12.122937.20476@taylor.uucp> <hastyCA2CCK.L9E@netcom.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: sylvester.cc.utexas.edu In article <hastyCA2CCK.L9E@netcom.com> hasty@netcom.com (Amancio Hasty Jr) writes: >Also, among similar operating systems and machines one can take lets >say external SCSI dat tape drives, CD-ROMS or large disks and plug >them in another system. Yes, it is possible to use scsi devices in >different architectures but I don't want to get into that. > There are a few other points you forgot to mention. 1) SCSI is a single interface for multiple devices, meaning (for a good implementation of the aforementioned), you have one interface, meaning that's ALL you have to check for when worrying about compatibility issues. Fact of the matter is, most modern machines support SCSI, and most "Real" Operating Systems have a driver for it. So you don't waste network bandwidth with the popular "I've got a Colorado Jumbo Tape Drive with the proprietary interface, does XXXX operating system have a driver for it?", or "I've got YYY proprietary CD-ROM card, does your OS have a driver for it?", or "I've got a cuisinart with a RF interface, do you have a driver for it?" 2) SCSI is a reasonably good implementation for contention-handling, as compared to -some- IDE or other interfaces (which are notorious for kluges such as holding the bus when seeking, etc.) Consider it like Unix, whereas IDE is like MS-DOG (perhaps with Desqview or Microsloth Windoze)(*). 3) SCSI isn't all that expensive. You can get a low-end used card with compatibility for $50 (I've seen that price locally). 4) It's easy to get SCSI devices over the net because it's not an ugly IBM/Intel/ISA-ism. I.E. It's a standard in the real sense that it's used more than most other PC interfaces(**). Case In Point: I got a 350MB SCSI drive for $400, sold it for $550, and bought a 760MB SCSI drive for $800 within 3 months. If this doesn't convince you, because you buy everything new, you've probably got enough money that IDE-vs-SCSI costs shouldn't matter too much, or you are too careful.(***) (*) This analogy not expected to hold up to intense scrutiny. (**) Some might argue with this. But it's implemented (sometimes with minor variations) in most PC's, such as IBM-compat, Amiga, Macintosh, and many popular workstations, such as Sun, HP, and others. (***) I may change my tune if I get burned one day, but if you line up sharp pencils on an otherwise clean desk, you're still too careful. All trademarks are blah blah blah respective companies blah blah. -- Protect our endangered bandwidth - reply by email. NO BIG SIGS! VaX#n8 vax@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu - finger for more info if you even care.