dove@mit-dspg@sri-unix (07/29/82)
Date: 26 Jun 1982 14:37:07-EDT In the line of Dave Yost's comments about terminals interfaces, for one thing I agree that they should have a built in timer. However, the idea of a 1k fifo for each channel extends to many other devices. In particular, it has always bugged the s&*# out of me that I can't find an atod/dtoa system that worked that way. It would be so much easier than futsing with dma channels and such. We have implemented something locally out of an 11/10 and unibus window that works more or less in this way, but I'd sure like to find a cheap fast one on the market!
vlsi (07/31/82)
I think that the problem with designing "good" peripherals is that the "good" designers do not do it. I have watched with various degrees of horror and amusement as the major hardware manufacturers carefully assemble experienced design teams for their major processors, and then hire a bunch of summer students to do their disk drive controllers (you know who I am talking about, don't you, out there!). I suppose that it is a good training ground for designers, in that they usually don't screw up too catastrophically, and that not too many people are ruined (I mean hurt!). Another problem is that there are no good "style manuals" for peripheral design. Any major company or design group wanting to publish style guides and good repeat good examples of advanced design is welcomed, although I personally think they are nuts... Patrick Powell CCNG, U.Waterloo