Multiport I/O cards: intelligent or dumb?

[Tony Shepps]

We're running a BBS under SCO Unix.  Right now, we have two lines, but in the 
near future we'd like to expand to three or four.

The tough question is whether to go with the cheap non-intelligent multi-port 
card or the more expensive intelligent version.

We are running HST dual-standard modems exclusively, so we expect to always 
communicate with the modems at 38,400 baud.  Beyond the BBS users and news 
processing, there is little activity on the system.  Of course, we can 
visualize a situation where 4 people are all downloading at 14,400 baud; but 
would there be a noticeable difference with the intelligent I/O?

Any hints would be *greatly* appreciated.  Thanks in advance!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-       Tony Shepps     toad at cellar.UUCP     (...uunet!cellar!toad)        -
- The Cellar BBS; since late 1990.  Reliable hardware, responsible sysops, -
- and line noise is neve~ a prob&~Jq@#}.}a\[>~~~    NO CARRIER