Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!tektronix!tekig!tekig4!brianr
From: brianr@tekig4.TEK.COM (Brian Rhodefer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Autoconfig for expansions
Message-ID: <2507@tekig4.TEK.COM>
Date: 17 Feb 88 00:14:35 GMT
References: <1408@sugar.UUCP> <507@xicom.UUCP>
Reply-To: brianr@tekig4.UUCP (Brian Rhodefer)
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, OR.
Lines: 33
Keywords: autoconfig hobby
Expires:4/1/88


Here's a half-baked notion for dealing with the complexity of
adding autoconfigurability to otherwise-simple peripheral cards:

Imagine an "autoconfig peripheral to end all autoconfig
peripherals".  This wonder would include (or perhaps consist of)
a battery-backed CMOS RAM or EEPROM to hold autoconfig code
modules, and the hardware necessary to participate in the Amiga's
autoconfig protocol.  Disk-based "installation" software would
allow one to add new autoconfig code modules into the RAM or EEPROM
(or EPROM, for that matter) of the wonder-card, which would thereafter
behave as if additional autoconfig hardware had been magically
added to the system.

Suppose an overeager vendor rushed a product, say a hard-disk controller
for example, out to market before they'd added auto-configurability.

The startup code for the deficient product isn't a problem; the vendor
already distributes it so that their customers can load it onto their
workbench floppies.  Lucky "Wonder-Peripheral" owners command,
"InstallAuto df0:Vendorware" instead, and, voilla! the peripheral now
behaves as if it supported autoconfig, after all!

Could this approach possibly work?  Is it being done?  If so, could
the vendors get together and decide which peripheral has such a broad
appeal that nearly EVERY A2000 owner would be likely to want one,
and put the extensible autoconfig system on it, so that other peripherals
can be made more cheaply?  Maybe an extensible one-time-programmable
EPROM-disk card big enough to hold the Workbench disk AND the autoconfig
stuff...

Naively yours,

Brian Rhodefer    ....tektronix!tekig4!brianr