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Re: NadaNet (was Re: brad w. Re: Ethernet & Internet on Apple 2)
Again my apologies as there are random thoughts...
Why not have each machine have a consistent temporary ID, all boot up
with a temp ID of 1, then assign 'valid' IDs thereafter. Now you are
thinking, what if I boot up three machines at once?
Don't. Light each board in turn.
Turn on "master" (#0?)
turn on "Msg server" (#1?)
Turn on drone (#255 temp?)
Wait... (Assigned valid number)
Turn on drone... (#255 temp?)
Wait... (assigned valid number)
etc...n drone...
Sorry this thought may not be practicle with your crate PCs, but by
puttting a 'reset button' on each, it could conceivably be 'easily' done
to cascade the 'boot' process.
IE:
Boot server and load OS.
Boot 2nd IIe and have the server give it OS and function of "msg server".
Boot 3rd IIe and have the server give it OS and drone function... Repeat
drone boot for finite number of computers.
Thankx,
Ed
Michael J. Mahon wrote:
The master machine _does_ assign ID numbers.
The problem is that the machines must be distinguished in order
to communicate at all, since both arbitration and addressing
are based on an ID (temporary for boot, permanent after).
Otherwise, if two boards choose the same temporary ID, they
will forever attempt to communicate simultaneously and will
respond in lockstep to any message addressed to them,
preventing later disambiguation.
My problem was in obtaining a unique temporary ID so that
the master could assign a permanent one through protocols.