[rescue] HDS @workstation

[Patrick Finnegan]

Charles Shannon Hendrix declared on Tuesday 20 April 2004 06:54 pm:
> Mon, 19 Apr 2004 @ 20:41 -0500, Patrick Finnegan said:
> > So, I got a Large Pile of these today to complement the one I had
> > earlier.  I still am having trouble finding software, however.  What
> > I need is called NetOS, should be version 2 or 3ish, and the boot
> > file should have a name of v20.hds or v30.hds .  Let me know if
> > anyone has this available.
>
> I found it on some university's ftp site.

Which is where I think I found my NCD 19r and 19c's firmware.  Alas, it 
seems that it has been taken down.

> The company refused to give me a copy, offering instead to sell it to
> me for several hundred $$$, even after I explained the HDS unit cost
> me $5.

I know.  I did that with my NCD 19r... They wanted me to pay them to 
discuss "upgrade" option.  No thanks!

> IMHO... that's justified.

???  Is there some sort of IP that they've got in this thing which could 
hurt them if they gave it away for free?  I can't think of any 
justifyable reason of charging money for *any* firmware.

> I've shelved my unit because I just couldn't see using it much,
> though I plan on keeping it just in case it comes in handy.
>
> Of course, it is only 10Mbit ethernet, and 8-bit color.  I'd be better
> off with a notebook PC with fast ethernet or better, and decent color
> and performance.

But this cost me $1.  I can't get a notebook with this much functionality 
for $10.

> It would cost less than a legal (contractually speaking) copy of HDS
> software.

I guess.  Of course, I'm sure Purdue paid for a copy for each of these 
terminals.  So, I probably should be entitled to a copy for each 
terminal I have, I figure. : )

Pat
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