*BSD News Article 5431


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From: ntaib@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Iskandar Taib)
Subject: Re: Free software and the future of support for Diamond products
Message-ID: <Bv034L.DEJ@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>
Keywords: Diamond, free-software
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Nntp-Posting-Host: silver.ucs.indiana.edu
Organization: Indiana University
References: <1992Sep12.035549.4743@zeos.com> <1992Sep13.142036.26842@nuchat.sccsi.com> <c3xn+a=.kwan@netcom.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1992 22:14:45 GMT
Lines: 25

In article <c3xn+a=.kwan@netcom.com> kwan@netcom.com (Kwan-Seng Low) writes:

>	Here's my dream card: User contributed, VESA compliance SVGA card.
>Given enough hardware design tools (Orcad, spice,...), one would came up a
>hardware design that only utilize standard component that's readily available
>in any large electronics shop (e.g. Fry's in Bay Area). Complete schematics,
>parts list, how to obtain it, complete doc. on how to build it, everything 
>available on public domain.

Why bother, when you can buy a very good card for under $200? The parts for
your homemade card would cost at least half that, plus another 20 hours of
labor (making the PC board, soldering, etc), and what you'd end up with will
be something gargantuan (ever try soldering surface mount components before,
let alone make a four layer PC board?) that will work intermittently? Then 
you'd spend another 10 hours debugging it... Lets see... $3.33 an hour. Is
that less than minimum wage???  9-)




-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iskandar Taib                          | The only thing worse than Peach ala
Internet: NTAIB@SILVER.UCS.INDIANA.EDU |    Frog is Frog ala Peach
Bitnet:   NTAIB@IUBACS                 !