>>>>> "pm" == Paul Mather <paul%gromit.dlib.vt.edu@localhost> writes:
pm> I was just supplying a data (counter-)point to your statement
pm> that CD burning did not work fine.
pm> (BTW, did you notice that my original statement was in the
pm> past tense: hardly appropriate for offering current advice,
pm> don't you think?)
No, I don't think.
Dave: My alpha systems run just fine.
Miles: They do not.
Paul: I had an alpha, and it ran fine.
And the tense has nothing to do with it: it's completely natural to
give advice by citing past experience.
Here's the problem.
1. I know CD burning is broken.
2. You and I both know CD burning problems are indicative of IDE
problems overall, and maybe even worse problems with interrupt
priority levels or PCI bus configuration or who knows what, so CD
burning problems DO matter to the original poster.
3. Although you may not have direct experience with IDE CD burners in
alphas, you do know that I am probably right, and you know that
your past experience is irrelevant because IDE and SCSI always
differ tremendously especially on noti386 and also because (2).
4. Your data- or counter-point was an attempt to convince others that
(3) is untrue, and in our followon bickering you tried to cloud
men's minds with respect to (2).
Trying to convince others to believe something which you do not
yourself believe is deceptive. This can sometimes can be fun and
okay, but in this case it threatens to waste many months of someone's
time. That's why I'm ``pedantically'' complaining. I want
cheerleading to be more honest.
OTOH maybe I wildly overestimated your background, and you didn't
realize (2) or (3). in that case, sorry for the assumption.
pm> So, do you think he should get a Sparc-based system instead?
pm> ;-)
I think he should either get an i386, or wait for NetBSD 5.0 and ask
again. I've already told him as much privately months ago, but he
won't have it. And, well,... rock on, good for him. I try not to
touch i386 garbage, too. But, no question, he's a fool for it.
Attachment:
pgposynHIVWLy.pgp
Description: PGP signature