Pity the poor 286 folk

[Russ Nelson]

In article <1988Sep29.153539.17169 at intacc.uucp> mann at intacc.uucp (Jeff Mann) writes:

   In article <10770001 at hpcupt1.HP.COM> vandys at hpcupt1.HP.COM (Andrew Valencia(Seattle)) writes in part:
   >	I received an offer from uPort just a bit ago for a TCP/IP package.
   >I'm not saying it worked, but I am saying I saw one for sale.  For that
   >matter, I believe KA9Q's TCP/IP package works fine over 802.3, so there
							    ^^^^^
   But there are no drivers available for this, as far as I know... are there?

I'm working on a driver for the 3c501 (ack, but that's what I've got).
Having never written a Unix device driver, it's taking a little while.
I really, really like the way that device drivers get linked into the kernel,
and the fact that devices are accessed through file names that are otherwise
ordinary names.  I'd like comments on this plan:

ecinit()
{ initialize the device }

ecopen()
{ reserves the device for the first opener. }

ecclose()
{ free the device }

ecwrite()
{ send a packet. }

ecread()
{ return a packet from a buffer. ( not sure if I should malloc or use
  system buffers.)  Do not block -- return zero if no packet available. }

ecintr()
{ if transmit, restart transmit.  If receive, stuff packet into buffer. }

ecioctl()
{ ECGETA: get the ethernet address.
  ECSETA: set the ethernet address.
  ECSTAT: return error statistics.
  ECZERO: zero statistics.
}

--
--russ (nelson at clutx [.bitnet | .clarkson.edu])
To surrender is to remain in the hands of barbarians for the rest of my life.
To fight is to leave my bones exposed in the desert waste.