Subject: Support for SparcPrinter, was Re: floppy controller tape devices?
To: Todd Vierling <tv@pobox.com>
From: Brad Salai <bsalai@law.roc.servtech.com>
List: current-users
Date: 11/24/1997 00:29:29
Does this new user friendly attitude mean that I can start lobbying for
support for my Sparc Printer ?

Actually, I have a question. I have SunOS, which has a driver. Is there any
way to use it with NetBSD?

Brad

Todd Vierling wrote:

> On 23 Nov 1997, Matthias Scheler wrote:
>
> : These devices are IMHO no good choice. They are slow, unreliable and not
> : durable. And the medias are much more expensive like e.g. DAT or Exabyte
> : tapes. So you should consider spending some more money for an SCSI
> : streamer which you will regain sooner or later by saved mooney and time.
>
> I'll try to restate the original request, again, even though I didn't
> originally submit it.
>
> <sigh>
>
> NetBSD is living on user support in a world of hardware choices.  It's also
> living in a world of _software_ choices.
>
> People buy floppy controller based tape drives.  People buy parallel port
> ZIP drives.  People buy IRQless proprietary scanner devices.  People buy
> no-name "clone" sound cards.  People often don't know the difference in
> quality until after the fact, and often don't have the money to invest in
> the higher quality equipment.
>
> So people choose an OS which they understand, and one that supports or
> promises to support the hardware they have already invested money in.  It's
> a harsh thing to just tell someone to go blow smoke up their orifices (in a
> more tactful manner, of course) just because he has already bought and paid
> for a piece of hardware that's not top of the line.
>
> We want NetBSD to be popular, right?  Then we have to take the stance that
> every piece of hardware, every user comment, and every possible
> configuration is important, especially when a change in such configuration
> can have a high price tag.  If you think a piece of hardware is ludicrous,
> feel that way, and ignore the request.  Don't tell the user to go away.
> That's the kind of attitude stoking we certainly don't need.
>
> </sigh>
>
> =====
> == Todd Vierling (Personal tv@pobox.com; Business tv@lucent.com)
> == Vierling's Axiom: The revolution won't be televised; it will be posted.