Return to BSD News archive
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development.apps,comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.os.linux.x,comp.os.linux.hardware,comp.os.linux.setup,comp.unix.bsd.386bsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!munnari.OZ.AU!news.mel.connect.com.au!news.mira.net.au!news.vbc.net!alpha.sky.net!newshub.cts.com!atmnet.net!news.sprintlink.net!new-news.sprintlink.net!news.texas.net!news.kei.com!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in3.uu.net!mail2news.alias.net!myriad!mylinuxbox!suck!netcom.com!stephenk From: stephenk@netcom.com (Stephen Knilans) Subject: Re: Why to not buy Matrox Millennium Message-ID: <stephenkDvp30A.366@netcom.com> Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest) References: <4j21ph$crr@slappy.cs.utexas.edu> <4j36ev$prl@news.Informatik.Uni-Oldenburg.DE> <32023A5E.7623@alaska.net> Date: Tue, 6 Aug 1996 02:31:22 GMT Lines: 56 Sender: stephenk@netcom4.netcom.com Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.os.linux.development.apps:19883 comp.os.linux.development.system:29239 comp.os.linux.x:37395 comp.os.linux.hardware:46667 comp.os.linux.setup:67419 comp.unix.bsd.386bsd.misc:976 comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc:4492 comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc:4260 comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:25013 In article <32023A5E.7623@alaska.net> hmmm <hmmm@alaska.net> writes: >> >information, I suggest no one interested in running a free Unix system >> >buy their products. >> >> I perfectly understand Matrox's decision not to give away details on >> their cards and programming interface. They are afraid of reverse >> engineering - as are many of the pc card vendors - did you ever care to I have reverse engineered software AND hardware! BELIEVE me, you DON'T need software to reverse engineer hardware! Look at wozniak! HE decided to get an IBM controller so he COULD cheat, but he DIDN'T! He had problems with HIS, and found that his did MORE than the IBM one! SO, using info from both, he designed what came to be known as "the woz machine"! He just looked at the board! >> read Adaptec's policy on giving out their hardware documentation (and I >> do not mean jumper settings) ? NEWS for you! Adaptec gives out LOTS of programming INFO, switch settings, and even CHIPSETS and schematics! HOW do you think they got SO big SO fast? > >that's BS IMHO. this pisses me off also since i'm in the busness of writing >dev drivers. tell me, how the hell can you reverse engineer any piece >of hardware by knowing port addresses & I/O info ? You CAN'T, but some people just get BRAINWASHED by stories like that from MATROX. Just look at .... > >what a bunch of BS. the way is see it, it's a matter of laziness. the >companies are afraid once they do that, they will have to deal with >further questions, although, i'm just not sure why they behave so. Well, every company gets too big for its britches. IBM got so big, and tried to FORCE everyone to go to MCA! They ALSO charged a FORTUNE for computers! NOW, they are relegated to a follower in many areas, and are partially RESPONSIBLE for DECLINES in prices! NOW, they are OPEN! APPLE got so big that JOBS shoved out ALL talent, HE got shoved out, and NOW, they are OPEN! LOOK at DIAMOND! SAME THING! LOOK AT INTEL! They actually thought they could REDEFINE the P5 after YEARS of sales! They FINALLY CAVED! NOW, the SAME thing happened with MATROX! Steve