From: weare@bostech.com (Ged Weare)
Subject: Re: Help wanted: Interlan Ethernet drivers
Organization: Boston Technology, Wakefield, MA
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 92 16:16:41 GMT

In article <241@warlord.UUCP> mhw@warlord.UUCP (Michael H. Warfield) writes:
>
>> [stuff deleted]
>
>	Hmm...  Same here.  It's a catch 22.  I got the boards basically
>because they were excess and useless for a commercial application (read
>that as "Your software is way overpriced!!!!").  I have the klunky DOS
>package but I need drivers for SCO UNIX.  All personal stuff.  Nobody
>in there right commercial minds will touch the things because they can
>get better boards and MUCH better software for less than the price of
>the drivers for the board!
>
Yeah, the unix package is overpriced, as far as private use goes.  As far
as being clunky, I can't say.  NCM did say they had vastly improved the
TCP package for unix.  You're right about price;  I can buy a version of
SysVR4 with TCP for $500, plus an Etherlink or something for less than
$100.

>
>	I got refered to NCM (I don't remember what that stands for).  They
>seem to be supplying the software for the boards.  They can quote you
>separate software packages for a lot of configurations, including upgrades.
>HOWEVER....  The individual I talk to didn't seem real enthusiastic.  I
>got the feeling he was being put out to even be discussing the subject with
>some lowly individual.  They also want around $500 just for the SCO drivers.
>Needless to say, there are better routes to go than that.  I don't know
>if they have anything for the ATT stuff but their number is 1-800-786-3696.
>As I say - their rep had a real attitude and their pricing sucks so lots'a
>luck.
>
>	I do a lot of consulting as well as my normal job as an Engineering
>VP for an outfit down here in Georgia.  My recommendation to anyone, after
>that encounter with NCM, is to avoid Interlan products like the plague!
>If that's their attitude to a consultant who can recommend for or against
>their products, heaven help the poor user who is stuck with them!
>> [stuff deleted]
>	Yea, my dozen or so are now collecting dust.  And Interlan has
>already lost several sales as a direct result!  Anyone asking or consulting
>me will get told that the software was so expensive I could not justify
>even evaluating the boards.  And I certainly would never recommend something
>that I couldn't even evaluate!
>
>	Michael H. Warfield
>	mhw@warlord.uucp

Well, I gotta say, in a pathetic attempt at fairness, that I had nothing but
good service from both Interlan (Ooops, Racal-Datacom), and from NCM.  They
did try hard to help me.  I talked to three or four different NCM people,
including a technical guy.  They even called me back!  In fact, a supervisor
called me back to ask if I'd been treated right.  I have to admit I was.
I'm bummed that I can't get a unix driver, but that's their marketing
policy, so I have to respect it, but not like it.  I agree with your
comments about losing sales through restrictive marketing policies (how
many copies of OS/2 would sell if IBM didn't do cheap competitive upgrades?).
Plus I kinda feel a hardware vendor ought to publish enough info for
a purchaser to write his own software.  Actually, the situation is
strange here, with one company making the HW (Racal Datacomm), and another
selling SW packages; maybe R-D can be persuaded to publish the NP600
interface, so they sell more boards?  May lose NCM some sales (actually
doubtful, at $1K per), but what does R-D care?

I also have to thank the many people who replied to my post (this included
several Interlan people).  Currently, I have the NP600 working for DOS in a
386.  I got pkt, NDIS and ODI drivers from the Racal Datacomm BBS, and some
shims and got ka9q working at least.  I couldn't get it to work in my old
286, because (I think) the 286 doesn't like bus-mastering (which the card
seems to need).  I also got DOS diagnostics.  I ended up using the ODI
driver, b/c it didn't need any non-PD software (the pkt driver was not
a .COM file, still can't figure *that* one out).  

As I said, still no unix.  The only un-explored avenue was that one of
the NCM people said (or implied, or atleast I inferred) that the NP600
might work in NI6510 (?) mode, as a dumb card.  That should not need
bus mastering, so I plan to check it out.  


----
Jed Weare                      weare@bostech.com
Boston Technology              (617) 246-9000 x3519
100 Quannapowitt Parkway
Wakefield, MA 01880.