[Sunhelp] VME/sbus/PCI/QBUS/other, advantages/dis-advantages

[Gregory Leblanc]

I'm going to admit to being a PC guy now, and show my ignorance.  I've got a
very good knowledge of ISA/EISA/PCI, and what advantages each offers over
the others on PC hardware.  I know exactly how they communicate with the
rest of the system, and all that jazz.  But I don't really know all that
much about these "other" bus architectures.  I've got VME on my 4/330, which
seems pretty cool, and actually looks a lot like NuBUS to me.  Sbus is
newer, right?  I know that it's what my SS20 uses, along with my friends
SS2.  PCI is the (only?) bus available on Ultra based Suns right now, and
it's got some nice features.  QBUS is a total mystery, but it's on that VAX
4000-400 in the back room.  :)  Can people share what they know about these
busses.  Oh, one other question on VME.  Supposedly there are people working
on support for VME still, using a PCI-VME bridge.  Would that be the same
VME as on early SPARC machines? Thanks a bundle,
	Greg