Controller/driver combo... will it work?

[Chad R. Larson]

In article <257 at bby-bc.UUCP> john at bby-bc.UUCP (john) writes:
>> ...  Microport said they don't support RLL and don't
>> have any plans to in the near future.  The drivers count on the
>> hard disk having 17 sectors per cylinder, and the RLL concept uses
>> 26 per.

A company here in Phoenix makes an RLL controller that will work with
almost any hard disk (special plated media and all not required).
They hired me to do custom drivers for SysV/AT to allow their system
be used for a Unix (they had been shipping for DOS only).  The offer we
made to Microport was to generalize the disk drivers and boot code
so the number of sectors would be stored in the same manner as the
number of tracks & cylinders and write pre-comp information is,
and give Microport back the changes for no charge, just so we would
be "supported" by SysV/AT.  I tried to get the stuff I needed from
Microport (sources to boot code, etc.) and in spite of my signing
Microport's non-disclosure agreements and calling them many times
on the phone they never sent me anything (other than the non-
disclosure forms).  I lost the contract, so I assume Microport
is serious in not supporting alternative mass storage devices.
The client went with SCO Xenix (and I understand, sold a lot of them).
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