WW: Colo Vending Machine

Sat Feb 18 02:48:56 UTC 2012

On 2/17/12 5:17 PM, Sven Olaf Kamphuis wrote:
>>
>> I still long for the day when someone makes a true 16550 based USB to
>> serial adapter... Some of the stuff I need to reprogram at the shop at
>> times does not like the cheapie chips that are most common - I've
>> bricked an APC network manager card at least once for that specific
>> reason...
>
> says more about the apc network manager card...
>
> if it can't handle rs232 properly... well...
> (or, from what i understand from this, doesn't have checksums on its
> firmware files or doesn't check them ;)

:P

I totally agree that the APC network cards are...  for lack of a better 
term, a steaming pile.  Unfortunately, when you have quite a few older 
UPSs and PDUs with old cards like the AP9606 that are still in service...

I work pretty heavily these days in repair, refurbishment, and upgrading 
of legacy equipment from various fields - changes of career can be fun 
and rewarding, and in this case, a bit more relaxing from not being on 
call 24/7.

When the vendor is long gone, replacement parts are scarce, and 
everything is serial based, you learn pretty quick that quirks and 
timing issues can wreck and trash a controller.  Usually equals the 
junking of whole pieces of machinery or expensive replacement parts.

So, while some people have messaged me off list giving me grief for 
suggesting it, I have my reasons for desiring such a 'strange beast'.

In the meantime, I've got a passive ISA backplane, a collection of 286, 
386, and higher proc boards, and misc ISA serial boards (why oh why did 
some vendors use RS-485 on some controllers???).

<rant>
On an unrelated side note and not directed at you...  I read messages on 
this list at times, and I have to wonder if some people here forget 
where they came from when they first started out in the field or 
building their own company.

Sometimes, its not possible to just replace or upgrade things in active 
service just because they are older, or because they are quirky.  Yeah, 
its easy to say, "switch vendors!", but in reality, we all know that is 
far from the truth.

I guess its easy lose sight of the fact that there's alot of companies 
and groups that don't have the luxury of million dollar budgets...  or 
even tens of thousands in budget...  Or run what they do as a hobby or 
charity.
</rant>

-- 
Brielle Bruns
The Summit Open Source Development Group
http://www.sosdg.org    /     http://www.ahbl.org