Hi Nasta, >[...] The proper way to 'save' the Q40/60 against ISA card >dissapearing, is to produce a Q40 speciffic 'ISA' IO card. This could >easily be a combo-card, which would also solve the 'only two slot' problem. >All of the functions you mention except network (but then also some >additional ones) are actually implemented by one single chip. An additional >chip would give you 10/100 Ethernet. One more, and you have full 16 bit >sound. And what you have then is exactly the IO chip setup found on the >GoldFire.
There will hardly be need to 'save' the Q40/Q60 against ISA disappearing. Nevertheless, a multi-purpose extension (lets call it "Ultra IO card") could be interesting for Q40/Q60 users if it adds other features, which can not be easily accomplished by using cheap ISA cards. It should have more than Multi-IO, sound and Ethernet which are already established on Q40/Q60. Maybe little goodies like MIDI, I2C, a PIC, CompactFlash slot, or a PCMCIA slot. If it had MultiIO/Ethernet as well, it seems to me that such a card would be a very good preparation for your XY-Fire! All drivers could be written on the Q40/Q60 and would immediately work on XY-Fire, by just changing the register locations. All the best Peter
