[KLUG Members] Re: IDE cd burner

[members@kalamazoolinux.org]

> And then you have a SCSI card for other purposes as well.  Very
> nice SCSI scanners can be found at curb-side prices.  SCSI tape
> drives (DAT) are very cheap.

If you read my ELUG-HARDWARE review, you'll note I have a Exabyte EXB-8500 
connected to it.  I like getting 10GB backup for $3/tape.  I also have a 
ScanMaker 6USL connected, although I disconnect it reguarly because Windows 98 
SE is SCSI bus termination immature IMHO (fickle as shit -- I'm still within 
spec though).

> Has anyone used a USB burner with Linux?
> What's the top end speed for those?

USB 1.1 is slow, and PIO (no DMA option).  So you have a combination of a max 
of only 1.5MBps (12Mbps) in mode 2 (a measly 150KB/1.2Mbps in mode 1!) and a 
constantly CPU pestering device.  Not ideal IMHO.  Then there is all the inter-
vendor-device incompatibility because USB has a bare command command set.

USB 2.0 is turning into a nightmare because they are trying to push the 
interface to 60MBps (480Mbps), while still using PIO for most things (at least 
they introduced a DMA program).  The command set still sucks.  IEEE 1394 
Firewire is much better, DMA by default, full command set and 12.5-100MBps (100-
800Mbps) transfer rates.  Firewire2 will be even faster.

> For even your average business app run on the desktop I think
> I/O is overlooked.  Good I/O helps alot when you start to swap.
> It is true that the MCSE's of the world have brought the
> slavering-CPU-mania of PC land into the glass house.

And even with Intel dual/quad-CPU, you still have the CPUs talking over the 
same, symmetric bus to the chipset northbridge.  That means it can only talk to 
memory or I/O, but not both at the same time.  Only AMD/Alpha EV6 does point-to-
point so one CPU could be talking to memory or AGP while the other is talking 
to PCI.

And with the forthcoming 760MPX, AMD adds a 2nd, 64-bitx66MHz PCI bus.  So you 
have a total of 6 points (CPU, CPU, memory, AGP, 64/66 PCI, 32/33 PCI)!  I 
figured AMD's use of only 1 memory bus was not ideal, but the benchmarks prove 
otherwise!  You'd be suprised how much difference it makes having one CPU doing 
all the I/O.

Again, Intel does not offer this option at all, only increased memory 
bandwidth.  The benchmarks show that the additional memory bandwidth does not 
make up for the monolithic SMP bus.  Not just on servers but workstations as 
well!  And the cost of the 760MPX is going to be less than the ServerWorks 
solutions -- AMD is hinting at just over $200 when they come out next quarter.

[ Note:  The only current dual-Athlon solution is the 760MP-based Tyan 
mainboard.  It sports the kitchen sink on-board so it is >>$500. ]

> No suprise there either,  HP-UX is a "safe" bet.  There are a
> suprising number of UNIX stalwarts who still dismiss Linux as
> a toy.  I meet them all the time.

My colleague's complaint was that the HP-UX solution was going to eat 6 months 
of their revenue (we're not even talking profit here), and not a viable 
option.  If Linux was just as good or better, they are too cash strapped to 
ignore it.

-- TheBS