On Thu, 27 Jun 1996 17:05:48 -0400 
 Chris G Demetriou <Chris_G_Demetriou@ux2.sp.cs.cmu.edu> wrote:

 > (1) indirect configuration busses _can_ support 'cloning' devices at a
 > minimal level, i.e. for unit number allocation purposes.
 > 
 > At the very least, remember that cloning devices could be used to say
 > "give me the next available unit number for this device," and that use
 > of cloning device specs should not cause serious problems.  e.g. you
 > should be able to say (now that config supports multiple cloning
 > devices of a single type):
 > 
 > 	ed* at isa? port 0x280
 > 	ed* at isa? port 0x300

Hmm, point taken.  You're right, I just hadn't though of that... :-)

 > (2) It's possible that it may make sense to have indirect config
 > busses support 'real' cloning of devices, but that would require
 > changes to the autoconfiguration code.
 > 
 > Consider that, at least for most boards on indirect-config busses,
 > there's a limited set of addresses which one of those boards can live
 > at, e.g.:
 > 
 > 	ed* at isa? port ?

Well, for some devices, this is certainly possible (c.f. the ep driver).
For others, well, it might be harder.  The ep driver would probably work 
as-is for the ISA cloning case.

 -- save the ancient forests - http://www.bayarea.net/~thorpej/forest/ -- 
Jason R. Thorpe                                       thorpej@nas.nasa.gov
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