*BSD News Article 46305


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From: mo@va.pubnix.com (Mike O'Dell)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc
Subject: Re: BSDi on a Gateway with a PCI Adaptec 2940 SCSI controller
Date: 1 Jul 1995 07:00:05 -0400
Organization: Centre for Chaotic Repeatabilty
Lines: 26
Message-ID: <3t39rl$qi2@pub01.va.pubnix.com>
References: <3s9clg$2kn@sphinx.Gsu.EDU> <DALt49.6z7@wiz.com> <3sen88$lqo@news.enterprise.net> <DAt2JA.7D@tfs.com>
Reply-To: mo@uunet.uu.net
NNTP-Posting-Host: pub01.va.pubnix.com

Since the NCR53C801 costs $3 in quantity 1000 and has all the
bus glue for PCI and the scsi cable drivers on board, a PCI
scsi-2 controller has NO parts on it other than the '801
and the terminator resistor pacs.  This means they cost
about $60 new and many of the new PCI motherboards are
coming with '801 firmware in the BIOS (whether or not
the 801 is on the motherboard or not, and many of the new
motherboards have the 801 on them, although i have seen
one with the adaptec 7770).  the BIOS things i've looked at
indicate they have ASPI drivers in the rom image and do the
right stuff so you can boot from the 801 as well.

and given that NCR is an OEM chip merchant and wants everyone
to be able to use the chip, and that BSDI already has 801 drivers,
and that the 801 is clearly a first-tier choice for Windows/NT,
supporting the 801 is a much better alternative for the PCI world
than the adaptec.  the 801 might not be quite as speedy as the
bustek, but it might also be an issue of driver maturity (tuning, etc).

anyway, in my book, i seen no reason do deal with adaptec and with
all the other things BSDI has to do, i certainly could not recommend
BSDI spend any more cycles on working with a company that clearly
does not want the community's business.  

	-mo