RE: Print/price question - RE: TI-H: Why expander? Why compress? Use a F


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RE: Print/price question - RE: TI-H: Why expander? Why compress? Use a FDD!



Lose money?  Then explain why most PC companies use a Flash BIOS design nowadays, and no one goes about ripping them off.  You could probably cram 128-bit encryption if you wanted to onto a floppy, and have a processor decode the stream of data and use it to rewrite another AVR's code.  As you said, code can be ripped from anything, it's just a matter of how easy it is to do so.  Anyone who bothers to decompress and decrypt your code (for a system that they probably already paid for) DESERVES to play around with the CalcNet.
	Don't be so paranoid just yet.  I haven't seen anyone rip off the EuP PIC code yet, and I seriously doubt that anyone would really want to steal your AVR code, just based on the fact that there's no real money in it unless they can make their own chips, which can also become expensive.  Your main worry is not with hackers, but maybe the MBus, which has already shown promise in its chat program.
	Don't get me wrong, I'm working on the drivers (finals are tomorrow, give me some time), but I'm just stating that you're overreacting.
Christopher Kalos
raptorone@stuytech.com
Executive Director/Administrator
Virtual Technologies Developer's Group


----------
From: 	Grant Stockly[SMTP:gussie@alaska.net]
Sent: 	Tuesday, January 20, 1998 11:01 PM
To: 	ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org
Subject: 	Print/price question - RE: TI-H: Why expander? Why compress? Use a FDD!


This brings an interesting question.  How many would be interested in high
density for $20 (7 - 14 ports) or low density for $10 (4 port).  Then how
many people would be interested in a text printer parallel/serial interface
for arround $8?

>        Another thought:  I know that the CalcNet will never be finished.
>It will be released, but Grant will want to add more features every week,
>and the

Nope.  Actually I will only release the bare system.  I was lucky to fit
that in flash.  The computer/add on things will controll more features.
I'm making the 4 port for $10 and the 16 port for $20.  All of the other
things that I could make would plug into port 4 or 16 and communicate
specially.

CalcNet will come with a free dose of built in obsolescence.  Add a floppy
drive, and instead of Grant having to send out new chips, he sends out AVR
code (encrypted is necessary), and one AVR reads the data and updates the
code!  Kind of like a flash ROM BIOS update on a PC.

Well, it still could be copied very easily, then I would have a hard time
earning money for college.

---
Grant Stockly
AppleCyber - http://www.alaska.net/~gussie

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