mrb@mitre.org (06/11/91)
I am currently looking for a way to attach a Zenith Supersport Laptop to an IEEE 802.3 LAN using a Xircom pocket Ethernet adapter. At this time, Xircom does not have an IEEE 802.3 compatible driver. Any suggestions/ work arounds would be greatly appreciated. Michael R. Brown The MITRE Corporation Bedford, MA 01730 (617) 271-7998
nelson@sun.soe.clarkson.edu (Russ Nelson) (06/12/91)
In article <1991Jun11.130122.15791@linus.mitre.org> mrb@mitre.org writes:
I am currently looking for a way to attach a Zenith Supersport Laptop to
an IEEE 802.3 LAN using a Xircom pocket Ethernet adapter. At this time,
Xircom does not have an IEEE 802.3 compatible driver. Any suggestions/
work arounds would be greatly appreciated.
They would have one if they weren't such scum (see below). The
Clarkson packet driver collection now (as of the 9.x release) supports
802.3 packets (courtesy of Eric && Colin at BYU). But Xircom opted
out of the Clarkson packet driver project...
I wrote some skeleton software to assist people writing network
drivers. It's copyrighted using the FSF's GPL. Xircom donated one of
their pocket Ethernet adapters to Brad Clements in our computing
center. He used their object module and wrote some of his own code,
and linked it to my skeleton. They were not happy when Brad told them
that the copyright required that they release their source code. And
I insisted that they do so. So we came up with a compromise -- they
would give the source to anyone who signed a nondisclosure agreement.
I thought that was reasonable (at the time), and agreed to it. So
they went on distributing it. Then I heard that they had reneged on
our agreement, and that they were writing their own proprietary packet
driver. However, they continued to distribute the one derived from my
code so I called for a boycott of their products. Legal action
wouldn't be useful, because I have no money to sue them, and they've
been making lots of money off their adaptors. And even the boycott
isn't going to accomplish much because the people who need packet
drivers aren't a large part of their business.
So, I guess they get away with their theft.
There are alternatives to their products, made by D-Link. D-Link's
products are cheaper, and there is a packet driver for the DE-600
thinwire adapter (at least). I have found D-Link to be a very
responsive company. For example, they supply a sticker for their
internal adapters that explains the jumper positions. This is
unusual, and very handy.
USA UK International
D-Link Systems, Inc D-Link (U.K.) Ltd. Datex Systems, Inc.
5 Musick 23A lyttelton Rd 15-4, FL
Irvine, CA 92718 London, N2 0DN No. 1, Fu Hsing North Rd.
USA UK Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
--
--russ <nelson@clutx.clarkson.edu> I'm proud to be a humble Quaker.
Clear cutting is criminal, spiking trees is criminal, and using hyperbole of
this magnitude in a serious discussion is criminal. -- Irv Chidseyjbvb@FTP.COM (James B. Van Bokkelen) (06/12/91)
.... At this time, Xircom does not have an IEEE 802.3 compatible driver.
You don't say what you mean by "802.3 compatible". If you mean compatible
at the hardware level, that shouldn't be an issue: the "802.3-ness" of an
Ethernet at the hardware level is subtle and very hard to distinguish from
v2 Ethernet. The worst problem you'd have would be ensuring that you have a
compatible transceiver (heartbeat vs. no heartbeat) to plug into. In any
case, the software driver doesn't care a fig whether the cable is 802.3 or
v2 Ethernet
If what you mean is "capable of sending and receiving packets with a 'length'
instead of an 'ethertype', with an 802.2 header appended", that is a software
issue. Much depends on what upper-layer protocols you want to use, and which
vendor supplies the protocol stack. All of the DOS shared-driver specs
support 802.2 formats in one way or another, although the Packet Driver spec
uses a separate Class (11), which Xircom may not have implemented yet.
James B. VanBokkelen 26 Princess St., Wakefield, MA 01880
FTP Software Inc. voice: (617) 246-0900 fax: (617) 246-0901tjs@MSC.EDU (Tim Salo) (06/12/91)
> Date: 12 Jun 91 05:49:14 GMT > Subject: Re: IEEE 802.3 Driver for Xircom Adapter > [...] > They would have one if they weren't such scum (see below). > [...] > Then I heard that they had reneged on our agreement [...] > [...] > However, they continued to distribute the one derived from my > code so I called for a boycott of their products. > [...] > So, I guess they get away with their theft. > [...] > --russ <nelson@clutx.clarkson.edu> I'm proud to be a humble Quaker. Please move this to a more appropriate forum, such as the courts. I have no idea what the actual facts are in this case, but software copyright contains lots of grey areas, (e.g., when is software a derivative work?). I doubt further discussion here will enlighten me. At least in court some third party (not me) can listen to arguments and render an opinion based on some understanding of the facts and the law. Your counsel may also be able to advise you about libel. Tim Salo tjs@msc.edu