> 
> > While it could probably be hammered into NetBSD, it kind of clashes with
> > the 'multi-platform' flavor.  I'm not sure that something as completely
> > PC specific as a floppy tape drive would even bee a particularly good
> > addition to NetBSD.
> > 
> > Dave Burgess
> 
> This statement is inaccurate.  the 'fd' driver like the adaptec scsi
> driver, and other pc-device-drivers are inherently pc-specific.  So
> what?  The alternative is to have no device drivers which obviously
> wouldn't work.
> 

I hadn't thought of  it quite that literally, but I see your point.  The
thing I was trying to say is that, unlike the SCSI controller code (which
theoretically has structures and elements that should be carried across
platforms) the floppy tape drive has no such payback.  Like you said (or 
will say in a minute) the floppy tape drive is immenesly dain-bramaged.

> We have no objection to floppy tape drive support,  we just haven't
> gotten to it.  These tape drives are immensely brain damaged, but
> cheap.  Support for them is non-trivial, and time consuming.
> 

I know.  I have been trying to hammer support for this tape drive into the
fdc.c code since 386bsd 0.1.  My particular tape drive works well with the
DOS software provided when I bought the drive, but will not even work
with the upgrades of exactly the same software.  Hence, me doing the work,
while being an exciting way to learn the internals of a floppy drive
controller and the low-level info for the tape drive, has not been particularly
rewarding.

Besides, everytime I mention is JMonroy comes in and says that support
for it is included in his (beta) fdc code.  Steve Gerakines and the other
folks that have actually accomplished this are REAL programmers.

> As always, please feel to do the work yourself.  We welcome submissions.

I know.  Y'all have never made fun of anything I've ever submitted.

I will keep at it and see what I can steal^h^h^h^h^h figure out from the
specs for the drive and the FreeBSD code.

> 
> later,
> Adam Glass
> 
> 


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