I have been presented with two good contenders for an ethernet solution for the QL. There might be others; I am open to suggestions and may add more to the list.
I would like there to be a *polite, friendly, respectful, constructive*debate about the relative merits of the two devices. Once you have expressed a view, that's enough. No need to restate it, unless you add something further. It is very important that discourse be *focused entirely*on solving the problem of getting ethernet onto the QL. Please read the data sheets and form an opinion about which would perform better on a QL at 7.5MHz or a SGC system at 25 MHz. There is already a TCP stack in existence; whether you wish to use it or not is a matter for you - one of the chips is a microcontroller that has its own stack. Here are the contenders: Wiznet WS5300 http://www.wiznet.co.kr/UpLoad_Files/Re ... _V128E.pdf versus Cirrus Logic CS8900 http://www.cirrus.com/en/pubs/proDatash ... 00A_F5.pdf If there is a clear consensus, I will assemble some functional prototype boards using the favored device, then send boards and documentation out to a limited number of people who express an interest in doing development work with them. There would be some gentle conditions: 1. You'd join a developer mailing list and report occasionally on progress you'd made to the other three people and me. Others could join the list to provide feedback, etc. The list would allow you to self-co-ordinate your efforts within the group. I would not be the boss of you. I would not own your work. There is no schedule or deadline. 2. Anything you do, once reaching a state of development greater than "alpha", would be open source and freely distributable. A GIT repository or similar would be nice. 3. I would, upon release, host information and downloads at SinclairQL.com so people can explore the code or develop it further. If anyone develops anything to a point that it becomes possible to add ethernet to a future board, or standalone, I would work out a way to produce them for the community. If not, you can keep the card as a curio/plaything/collectible, or send it to someone else who has shown an interest. So, let's begin, shall we? -- Dave Park Sandy Electronics, LLC d...@sinclairql.com _______________________________________________ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
