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> > Does anybody have a clue why IBM would put 16550 UARTs in their > > early 700 series ThinkPads but not in the 750's?!!!! This is ANGERING! :( > > The 700 and 720 were MicroChannel Architecture machines. All MCA machines > have 16550 UARTs (as well as other features that make multitasking go more > smoothly). The 750 was in a way a concession to the market's continuing > use of ISA - it is an ISA machine. I guess too many people complained they > couldn't run Linux on the Thinkpad 7xx. :) With the sole exception of one person's claim that a 16550 UART was not supported by the Intel Chipset in the TP750 (which, considering a lot of machines with 16550's are not ones with Intel chipsets, so I don't quite understand that line of reasoning), I don't see why the 750 *couldn't* use a 16550 UART. I suppose the real solution is just simply to buy/use a PCMCIA modem and use the external serial port for less data-intensive operations (like connecting to my HP100LX) or simply to stick with modeming under DOS and not Windows (or apparently, even OS/2). Speaking of which--anyone want to hazard a guess as to when a V.34 PCMCIA modem will be out and what they will cost? With V.34 recently ratified (with only the formality of a final vote remaining--not much to worry about), most people are saying full V.34 modems will be available for purchase as early as the next month or two, and no later than this fall. What kind of a delay can we expect in PCMCIA's? I want an XJack 28.8.... :) > I think the real reason is that the docking station for an MCA machine could > only take MCA cards (unless you plunked down more money for an adapter). > Enough people complained they wanted to use ISA cards so they got their > wish. Well, I can see the point--and a lot of people in this mailing list use their TP's as "everything" machines (I don't--I have a separate desktop machine, but I guess I'm more fortunate). > Personally I think they should've stuck with MCA. I doubt they're selling > *that* many docking stations, especially at the price they charge. I would have to agree. I don't know how much of a performance difference it would make in a notebook machine though. After all, our ISA-Based 750's have accelerated (are they local bus too?) graphics, so I don't know what performance gains I would obtain by having an MCA bus (other than a good UART!). I suppose I'd have no problem with them going to an ISA bus if they hadn't left such a key feature (the 16550 UART) behind in the process-- and IMO, unnecessarily so. ----- Randy Whittle whittle@chaph.usc.edu University of Southern California School of Business (Fight on, 'SC Trojans!) - Motorcycle nut, HP 48GX & 100LX user, & lover of fine chocolate... "It's not denial, I'm just very selective about the reality I accept!" -Calvin "Consensus is the negation of leadership." - Margaret Thatcher