Template Version: @(#)sac_nextcase 1.68 02/23/09 SMI
This information is Copyright 2009 Sun Microsystems
1. Introduction
1.1. Project/Component Working Name:
EOF of pcmem/pcram
1.2. Name of Document Author/Supplier:
Author: Garrett D'Amore
1.3 Date of This Document:
25 October, 2009
4. Technical Description
EOF of PCMCIA memory card (pcmem, pcram)
----------------------------------------
The pcmem (and pcram) device driver supports "pure" pcmcia memory cards.
It allows these devices to be used as a logical floppy disk.
However, these devices are no longer common (its not clear that they ever
were), and are available only in formats that are far smaller than is
typically useful today. (The largest format I've found for such devices
is 8 MB, when typical USB flash media has sizes about 1000 times larger. That
8 MB PCMCIA card runs for about $250, when the same 8 GB USB flash can be
had for less than 1/10th the price.)
There is also the support for ATA based PCMCIA cards, which are used with
applications such as CompactFlash. This case does not address ATA based
devices, which likely still have applications with CF.
Given the ridiculously small (these days) sizes, badly underperforming PCMCIA
bus, and wide spread availability of far faster, cheaper, and larger
alternatives, we believe the time is ripe to simply drop support for this
legacy technology.
6. Resources and Schedule
6.4. Steering Committee requested information
6.4.1. Consolidation C-team Name:
ON
6.5. ARC review type: FastTrack
6.6. ARC Exposure: open
