Date: Wed, 16 Jul 1997 10:52:09 -0600 From: Steve Passe <smp@csn.net> To: Stephen Roome <steve@visint.co.uk> Cc: smp@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: HEADS UP: EISA cards. Message-ID: <199707161652.KAA08913@Ilsa.StevesCafe.com> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 16 Jul 1997 11:34:23 BST." <Pine.BSF.3.95.970716112459.23151C-100000@dylan.visint.co.uk>
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Hi, > > response. So I can conclude that either: > > > > a: everyone agrees with this decision. > > OR > > b: no one with such hardware read that far. > > (Warning: uninformed gut-reactions follow) > I think you missed out c: which was that some folks, me included, didn't > entirely follow the implications, but IMHO, I wouldn't build an SMP system > relying heavily or even using EISA. It sounds to me like a small loss, but > as I'm not sure exactly how much is gained out of it I couldn't make the > decision either. FreeBSD has a tradition for not being "snobbish" in the area of dictating what hardware "deserves" to be supported. I see support for some things I wouldn't pass the trash can to put into a junk box on the other side of the room. So I don't want to ignore this side of things. (Don't take this paragraph too literally, I agree with the policy in general, I'm just saying you sometimes have to draw a line. Consider this a "blowing off some steam" rant.) --- > Basically: > 1) I don't use EISA cards except in one 486 here, and that's going asap as > well. > > 2) In an SMP system I would always use PCI instead of EISA, only because > if I'm buying an SMP system it's due to performance/newness issues and > EISA wouldn't be my choice of performance/newest peripherals. the bottom line is that an ISA/EISA machine is a BAD choice for SMP. Intel put things in the MP spec to allow use of some of their "older" technology, including earlier EISA chip-sets. This is the root cause for this particular problem. There are several GOOD PCI/EISA machine out the (asus comes to mind), but think of them as PCI/ISA, and don't consider using EISA cards in them. -- Steve Passe | powered by smp@csn.net | Symmetric MultiProcessor FreeBSD
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