>So how is my buffer different than, for example, the Catweasel?
>
>2. The Catweasel uses a proprietary, largely undocumented programming
>interface. My circuitry is entirely open, and I think it's pretty easy
>to program. (My first hack at acquiring data with the new buffer was
>dashed off in about half an hour under QBASIC.)
Thier doc's pretty much stink, or at least did when I got mine!
>3. The Catweasel requires a bus slot inside a PC-clone. My new buffer uses
>a much more general purpose parallel interface. So you can hook it up
>to a laptop, or even to something that isn't a PC-clone at all.
The Catweasel is also available for the Amiga, at least it was last time I
checked. However, I'm still more than a little pissed off by what I
consider to be false advertising. When I got mine they listed a whole list
of formats that it could read, when in reality it could hand Amiga, C1542,
and PC floppies. The hardware might support more, but the software didn't.
As I understand it the PC version might have better support, but when you
consider that the Catweasel was originally an Amiga board...
>Those are what I see as advantages over the Catweasel. There are also
>some disadvantages:
>
>5. My buffer is strictly "read-only" as I use it. I think the Catweasel
>(and Compaticard) both allow writing.
Supposidly the Catweasel can write most formats it can read. I know it can
do the only ones I was able to read.
>Would it be worth writing up my new floppy disk data buffer so that
>others could improve on it? Would anyone be interested in unstuffed and/or
>stuffed PCB's? Should I give it a name? (The "Timweasel", anyone? I
>gotta think of a better name!)
Maybe/probably. It would be nice to stuff one in a Linux box, or will it
work in an Alpha under VMS :^)
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh_at_aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast |
| healyzh_at_holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| and Zane's Computer Museum. |
|
http://www.aracnet.com/~healyzh/ |
Received on Tue Jul 04 2000 - 12:17:04 BST