Compatibility lists

[Warren D. Calhoun]

In <1990Nov12.070444.8046 at ico.isc.com> rcd at ico.isc.com (Dick Dunn) writes:

>Two cautions on these "compatibility lists":
>	- They get out of date in a big hurry.
>	- A software vendor's list includes what has been checked out in
>	  one way or another; thus while presence of some hardware on a
>	  list is a good sign, absence is not necessarily a bad sign.
>With all the nameless motherboards (which probably come via a hundred
>channels from about a dozen manufacturers, if that:-), various controllers,
>odd bits of add-on hardware, etc., the things which *do* end up in compati-
>bility lists are the big names, the squeaky wheels, and others which appear
>for random reasons (like somebody in the company buying one and reporting
>results).

>Suggestion for a first cut:  Make an INcompatibility list instead.  That
>is, keep track of everything that someone has tried and failed.

  That was my idea, essentially.  Not so much a compatability list in the sense
that the manufacturer provides them, but a database of experiences with certain
hardware/software configurations.  This would not be meant to replace the lists
that come from the manufacturer but rather, supplement them with information on
some combinations that they do not list.  Obviously, this could not be a truly
definitive database, or one that would be deemed "official".  It would merely
be something to lay out real-use information to interested parties.
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