Re: Scheduled Transfer Protocol on Linux

[Karen Shaeffer]

On Tue, Feb 15, 2000 at 01:37:32PM -0800, Larry McVoy wrote:
> Karen again:
> : > Bottom line: Larry's idea can be implemented today (and it already is
> : > implemented in the Cobalt NasRaq, for example).
> : > 
> : > Erik
> : ---end quoted text---
> : 
> : Larry's idea is not currently in the marketplace.
> : 
> : <quote from Larry McVoy>
> : One thing that I've dreamed about for a while is getting the disk drive 
> : vendors to put STP down in the drives. Then we throw out the SCSI/IDE 
> : cables and use RJ45 connectors to talk to both the network and the disks. 
> : Think hot plug. Cool, no?
> : </quote>
> 
> Well, duh.  If it were in the market place, I wouldn't be dreaming about it,
> now would I?  I'd be a sorry assed "visionary" if my visions included things
> which was already shipping.
---end quoted text---

Indeed!

Two years ago, in Q1-98, I submitted a proposal at Seagate to develop disk
drives with a wireless network interface. I developed the idea to the point
of suggesting a solution utilizing the unlicensed 2.4GHz ISM band. This
solution would have implemented a spread spectrum wireless link. At these
frequencies, we could have attained the necessary bandwidth to make a viable
product. (No flames please, I am aware of the Bluetooth consortium, but that
standard transmits at data rates that make it useless for mass storage.)

Imagine a wireless disk drive attached to an office ceiling. People come and
go and are connected to LAN-centric memory without any cables...

Anyway Larry, we did this __TWO__ years ago. Integrating a network interface
into disk drives is not visionary... I realize this is a bit presumptuous of
me, but may I suggest you really should dis-engage your ego from your work...

OTOH, your posts are quite entertaining, combining theatre and
engineering... Now that is visionary... :) Please don't be offended. We need
to be able to laugh at ourselves to make a better world...

Karen
-- 
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  Karen Shaeffer
  Neuralscape; [phone]
  Santa Cruz, Ca. 95060
  [e-mail]  http://www.neuralscape.com
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