Re: LANceGS Ethernet Card: First Look

[DawnWolf <dawnwuff@bigfoot.com>]

Hector H. Eckler <h_eckler@my-deja.com> wrote: (and thanks that you
did)

>> This is only one ethernet option for
>> the GS, and ours will easily be cheaper. Shooting for $50 or lower.
>
>John, why don't you put up or shut up!  What you're peddling is a case
>of genuine snake oil vaporware.

Agreed. Especially with the "we will have TCP/IP and AppleTalk, and
heck maybe IPX/SPX too and NETBEUI, and let's implement all the file
sharing protocols, too". File sharing is always on top of other
protocols, and not easy to implement. If you want to fully integrate
it, you'd essentially have to write an FST (have fun). That aside,
good integration could be had with a Finder add-on or other, so one
would not have to go the full FST route.
I particularly had to grin at the "I might even write a Netware
client, heck why not". Yeah. Right. Because that alone is quite a
project, and it's not done "at the side while I'm at it", that's why
not.

Of course, we do have AppleTalk file-sharing already. The system hooks
for that are probably not trivial, but then 6.0.1 was already prepared
for Ethernet somewhat. Maybe Tony D. or someone can suggest a way to
make the LANceGS EtherTalk compatible, and allow the sharing of Mac
resources over the wire.

For me, who owns a PC, simply having ftp transfer capability is
already a dream come true. Anything on top of that is a bonus.

>The LANceGS is shipping NOW. 

Yup. Which is also why it relies completely on Marinetti as a protocol
stack. One, why reinvent the wheel, and second, this card had to go
out the door. Joachim is one highly motivated guy, but only _one_
highly motivated guy. Take another highly motivated guy who already
wrote a stack, and voila, you have a working product.

>When you
>have a working product, then maybe you'll have grounds to talk.  Until
>then, all we're hearing is: BLAH BLAH $50 DOLLARS BLAH BLAH OH THIS
>WILL BE SO CHEAP BLAH BLAH.

50 bucks, don't make me laugh :). I have an abandoned multi-serial
board project sitting here, and that wouldn't go for $50, let alone an
Ethernet card. $50 (or lower) is possible with the current crop of PC
cards _only_ because of volume. When you do small series, and you want
a professional job for the board, that alone eats a lot of money right
there. Components in small quantities don't come cheap, either. The
$50 is clearly nonsense, I can't see for the life of me how it would
be possible. Maybe the guy would be good enough to show us his
calculation of how he arrived at $50?

So, to end this post on a "me-too" note: The LANceGS is here. That
"other card" is not, and from the unrealistic spout I have seen so
far, I just don't believe in "that other card" ever seeing the market.

Yes, I know Joachim personally (and I should probably kill my "mystery
card" page now :o). Am I biased? Sure I am. Because I know him, I also
know what a stickler for quality he is, and how good he is at
optimizing performance for his products. This whole "FPGA and not much
resources" game is his bread and butter, after all, not "just a
hobby".

Truly, I am not trying to get into a particularly nasty version of
competition here. I don't make any money from the LANceGS, Joachim
does that :). Competition between a product and vapor is a ridiculous
notion. Although MS have become rich on it ;-). What I am trying to do
is to help protect the less technical-minded members of this community
from snake oil peddlers.

Mine is one voice. I am sure others, who are more respected for their
technical ability, can chime in.

Regards
Shawn