--- "Clint Wolff (VAX collector)" <vaxman_at_qwest.net> wrote:
> DEC licensed the patent to anyone who wanted for $100 a board,
> and Emulex, Dilog, and others STILL made a profit on aftermarket
> boards. DEC learned(?) from this and wouldn't license a later
> bus (VAXBI?)...
It was very difficult to get a VAXBI license. Software Results had
to apply multiple times and it was only granted after the market
made the VAXBI irrelevant (1989). I still have a pile of VAXBI
COMBOARDs (68010 10Mhz, 2Mb DRAM, Z8530). If it weren't for MSCP,
I'd consider attempting to convert one to SCSI with an 5380 - not
high performance, but neither is the COMBOARD, but that's not a
problem when all you are doing is pushing characters over a sync serial
interface at 56Kb.
> ....so Emulex and Dilog were limited to purchasing
> the cheapest board DEC made, removing the bus interface chips,
> and installing them on their own boards. and STILL made a
> profit.
Considering I've seen prices like $10K for a VAXBI SCSI card (new,
supported disk _and_ tape), there was room for profit. The VAXBI
interface chip was $350 from DEC, and at one point, you could buy
2Mb memory cards for the 8200 for $50. The most recent cards I've
picked up were (2) 4Mb cards for $10 each, but that was more than
5 years ago. I just wish the KDB-50 wasn't so flakey - I have to
reseat mine on a regular basis or the machine won't boot (VAX 8300).
-ethan
>
> Regards,
> Clint
>
> > Who knows? Only the patent office I suppose. It was a mass storage protocol
>
> > that DEC invented and some patent examiner said "Yup, this is good stuff."
> > The Microprocessor was also patented but that patent has expired. Most of
> > the emulators/clones on DEC gear do _not_ include MSCP support. Getting it
> > is a challenge. Intel and Motorola have copyrights on their Microcode and
> > patents and various aspects of their processors but as a whole they aren't.
>
> > I believe all of Intel's chipsets are patented in one form or another which
>
> > prevents non-licensees from building them.
> >
> > --Chuck
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
=====
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Received on Sun Jul 01 2001 - 00:53:31 BST