From: aal@broue.rot.qc.ca (Alain Hebert)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386
Subject: Re: SyQuest/ISC 3.0/DPT Driver?  And SunSoft Bashing!
Date: 4 Oct 92 23:48:30 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: Groupe de Recherche Operationnelle en Telecommunication (ROT)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

: Just a quiet, technical post from a concerned administrator asking for
: some help from the net. 

	Sorry if I offende somebody but since I'm in this kind of relations
	between the Reseller and the Makers (6-7 years now) its the first time
	that kind of dead-end happen, most of the time I was able to give so
	much information and bug them so often they finish to solve the
	trouble...  But right they totally stopped my work by playing that kind
	of game with me!  How I will sell ISC 3.0 over SCO to my client with
	the troubles I get right now...  Where the difference between SCO and
	ISC right now... None from my point of view.
 
: Tell me M. Hebert, why are you using the DPT controller? It's no better
	  ^^^^^^^^^
		   - Please less formal...  Try 'aal'...

: than the BusTek or Adaptec controllers; the cache won't help you; the
: removable media works with the Adaptec and BusTek.

	I've install a couple of Adaptec BusMASTER EISA in my last contract and
	run into a very annoying bug:

		If omitting the (now know as mandatory) block size from the tar
		command on a Archive A2525IS SCSI Tape the Adaptec SCSI would
		hang...

		It take me a couple of weeks of calls/callback to find out
		from a technical peoples at ISC (just before SunSoft takeover)
		that the block size MUST be set at 20, not 19, not 21 but 20!

			like:	tar tvbkf 20 52500 /dev/rmt0

				(So no 'hd /dev/rmt0 | more' possible...)

		(We've try with a Future Domain Card and when don't have that
		 kind of restriction with the tape drive...  What's bugged?
		 The EISA Driver...  Note:  The same mandatory 20 blocksize
		 apply to the DPT EISA Driver but if omitted don't have any
		 dangerous effects...)

	And I found that with my hardware/software setup I was gaining more
	throughput with a DPT than a Adaptec...  So, personally I don't
	think I shoot myself in the foot!  I loose the EEPROM BIOS from the
	Adaptec (I like it very much BTW) to the expandable cache...  And
	because I was thinking about installing Postgres and WAIS I was in
	need for some buffed EISA card...  And I like my DPT!  (BTW I've port
	WAIS to ISC 3.0 and postgres will next after X11R5 for ATI Wonder if
	I can stop whining and go to work... (;-} )

	All my current troubles is located at driver level, so I'm waiting
	for ISC/SunSoft to solve it, if they want to!

	About ISC 3.0 if you want to find a very quick bug go look into
	the /lib/libcposix.a file, extract the crypt.o member and 'dis' him...
	You will found three functions doing: nothing!  Go take a look at the
	same member in /lib/libc.a you will see the difference...

My dis dump:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	I was about to give you a dump of my crypt.o but I think somebody will
	have the opportunity the shut me on some copyright issue...

	I can't include decompile code from my ISC 3.0 you will have to see
	it by yourself... Sorry.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

	I found this one when porting a BSD ftp client to ISC 3.0 to add some
	logging features to grab some statistics...

	What can I say more, it was fun knowing you ISC but I have to live MY
	life...  What do I do:	climb into the BSD386/Linux band wagon.
				Sold my sole to the devil (SCO).
				Try one of those shiny SysVR4.
				Wait for the dust to come down. (Vapor Solaris)

(Vapor:	Anything that's not out there its vaporware.  Remember Lotus?)

	Have fun...

-----
Alain Hebert              | Synerlogic (a Anderson Consulting Division)
                          | 1405 Trans-Canada, Suite 300     Voice: 514-685-7575
Consultant for Synerlogic | Dorval, Qc, Can H9P 2V9          Fax:   514-685-7692
      and (part-time)     |
Sysadmin for R.O.T        | Recherche Operationelle en Telecommunication
                          | 5867 De La Roche                 Voice: 514-948-2492
aal@rot.qc.ca             | Mtl, Qc, Can, H2S 2C8            IP:   192.77.49.131
-----
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386