Xref: utzoo comp.periphs:1425 comp.unix.microport:2398 Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!ispi!jbayer From: jbayer@ispi.UUCP (Jonathan Bayer) Newsgroups: comp.periphs,comp.unix.microport Subject: Re: tape streamers question Summary: copy protection Message-ID: <379@ispi.UUCP> Date: 29 Dec 88 15:30:35 GMT References: <1516@bebux.UUCP> <895@starfish.Convergent.COM> <314@belltec.UUCP> <271@dcs.UUCP> Organization: Intelligent Software Products, Inc. Lines: 30 In article <271@dcs.UUCP>, wnp@dcs.UUCP (Wolf N. Paul) writes: > In article <314@belltec.UUCP> dar@belltec.UUCP (Dimitri Rotow) writes: > >Almost all streamers use the QIC-36 command interface. The original QIC-36 > >card was designed by Northern Telecom and put into mass production by Everex > >in their EV series. Since then, numerous third parties (Wangtek, etc) are > >building "PC36" compatible streamer tape controllers. The tape software > >most vendors use will work with all such cards (keeping in mind that any > >given driver is always vulnerable to changes in ROMs, PALS, and other > >individual design changes). > > Would you care to comment on the REASON for the change of PALS on the Bell Tech- > supplied EV-811-B controller, which in effect makes the use of Bell Tech's > System V/AT tape driver impossible with a non-Bell Tech EV-811-B? > Unfortunately, Bell Technologies is practicing copy protection on Unix/Xenix. By changing the PALS they ensure that only their software will work with their board, and that their board will only work with their software. I found this out the hard way after SCO came out with direct support of the QIC-36 boards. I now have a customer who is stuck with the Bell stuff, and for obvious reasons does not want to upgrade the hardware. BTW, Bell does have a very good streaming mode. Depending on the software they can stream several megs of data all at the same time, while SCO can only stream 20 to 40 K at one time. However, I don't know how much of a speed increase it results in. Jonathan Bayer ------------------------------------ Intelligent Software Products, Inc. "The time has come," the Walrus said... 19 Virginia Ave. ------------------------------------ Rockville Centre, NY 11570 (516) 766-2867