Re: GS/OS Driver for a Super Serial Card?

[dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson)]

In article <1994Mar16.081029.8048@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu>,
Chris Deschu <cdeschu@nyx10.cs.du.edu> wrote:
> In article <CMKwwx.K4n@actrix.gen.nz>,
> David Empson <dempson@swell.actrix.gen.nz> wrote:
> >
> >GS/OS has never implemented support for devices in "switched out"
> >slots/ports.  There is a partially implemented mechanism called the
> >Slot Arbiter, which is supposed to allow device drivers to be able to
> >access all seven ports and all seven slots, but it has never been
> >fully implemented, probably because of compatibility problems with
> >existing drivers and applications.
> 
> Now that's interesting. I hope they find the time to finish it,
> it would give us more flexibility in system configuration.

Read the last sentence of my comment again.  I believe that it hasn't
been implemented because of compatibility problems.  These are not
going to go away.

It would be helpful if one of the Apple people could confirm or deny
this.

I don't think it is a matter of time - the Slot Arbiter was planned in
System 5.0, and the limited implementation has been there ever since
(there is even a version of it in the ROM for the ROM 03 IIgs).  None
of the implementations actually switch the slots - if you try to
request a slot which is currently switched out, it returns an error
indicating that it cannot switch.

> Sorry about the confusion about different driver types...

No problem - a common mistake.
-- 
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand