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DCI4 almost publically released By Chris Williams. Published: 21st Mar 2003, 04:38:51. Get a load of this broken and not so broken code! Before you ask, yes this article is a techie one so hold tight and think happy thoughts. Firstly some background: version 4 of the Acorn Device Control Interface specification, or the DCI4 as it's commonly known, is a highly confidential and protected document owing to the fact that it details the low level insides of the RISC OS networking system and the way related modules and device drivers communicate. Ensuring the document's contents are kept a secret provides security through obscurity although it admittely hinders third party software writers looking to develop device drivers. A discussion was recently started on comp.sys.acorn.programmer after one programmer expressed an interest in writing a PLIP driver and was looking for a copy of the DCI4 document for reference. It was confirmed that the document is confidential and not for public release; we checked this with RISCOS Ltd. and they're still issuing the DCI4 document to interested parties under a standard non-disclosure agreement. Fair is fair, we say, seeing as the document does cover the finer intricacies of the RISC OS networking system and is the kind of information you don't want falling into the wrong hands what with Pace employing RISC OS in their consumer products. However in an attempt to aid future networking module developers, it turns out Alan Williams (we've just noticed that his website appears to have some crazy stuff on it like the TRMs) has written a DCI4 based driver module for the D-Link DE600 ethernet device and has released the source code under the GPL (version 2). As it "might serve as a useful base from which to write DCI4 drivers", Theo "SSH-Proxy" Markettos is kindly distributing Alan's source code here [drobe mirror]. However there's always a catch or two and here they are: Alan admits his code doesn't quite work. Plus his code is a horrific mess. So typical open source quality then but quite possibly worth a peek anyway if you're nosey enough even if the code turns out to be of no use whatsoever. On the other hand Alternatively, there's always the EtherY sources [drobe mirror], released by Castle under the GPL and tidied up by Justin Fletcher. The EtherY module drives Castle's 100bT ethernet cards. Links Theo Markettos' website EtherY device driver (which works, funnily enough) Discussion Viewing threaded comments | View comments unthreaded, listed by date | Skip to the end So who's going to do a driver for the infamous Realtek 8139 chipset? piemmm on 21/3/03 4:25PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ] I've got one of them! Are they infamous for good reasons or bad? /me gets worried :o Phlamethrower on 21/3/03 6:12PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ] Both The linux driver has issues (sometimes). It's dead cheap, and therefore widespread. Someone port the Linux driver, so we can use them in Iyonix, kthanxbye. -- Peter, drobe.co.uk mrchocky on 21/3/03 7:34PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ] Out of interest, do drobe do `investigative journalism'? If so, they might like to get Castle to answer if their GPL releases, e.g. EtherY, now conform to either 3a or 3b of the GPL. Also, we should have the source for the binaries that have been shipped. This EtherY release has a help string of 0.02. Does the firmware on the cards match? ralph on 22/3/03 12:00AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ] Depends on what you mean by "investigative journalism". If you mean, "ask questions and find out things", then yes, I like to think drobe.co.uk does. We do try our best, you know. Alternatively, if you mean, "try to dig dirt and cause mischief to get extra hits", then no. Sorry. Anyway, having read the GPL and consulted others (like we usually do), we're certain CTL are conforming to section 3, specifically part b. They produced an announcement stating that the source is available from them if you send them a disc and we're mirroring a copy online if you're worried about availability. Of course, one would assume that a copy of the aforementioned announcement is included with shipped Iyonixes. We can find out after the weekend I guess. Chris, drobe.co.uk diomus on 22/3/03 12:58AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ] I do hope that passwords arn't sent plaintext anymore, so whats the harm in releasing it? NoMercy on 23/3/03 2:13PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ] ralph: Castle are including a notice about the HAL in their shipped Iyonixes, we're told. Chris, drobe.co.uk diomus on 26/3/03 2:19PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ] diomus: Hi, thanks for seeking an answer from Castle. I didn't mean `dig dirt', just using your `weight' to get an answer. I sent a long, and hopefully helpful, email to Castle a little before the recent show pointing out their GPL obligations assuming just the Iyonix HAL was affected but never had a reply. As to CTL conforming with 3b of the GPL, well their `announcement' doesn't cut it. It is the *code* as shipped, e.g. buried inside an Iyonix, that must be accompanied with the written offer for 3b. A one-off page on a website or Usenet post doesn't help the potential recipient of the code. Your later post that Castle are including a notice is shipped Iyonix is good news. Can you get confirmation and the text? PS. Is there some handy way of seeing when someone has posted onto a story where I've commented, i.e. a possible reply? ralph on 15/4/03 10:31PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ] Please login before posting a comment. Use the form on the right to do so or create a free account.

Login Username Password Create a new account Forgot your password? Search this website This week's poll Recent developments have left me feeling... Assured ROS will appear on new hardware 55% Pleased OS desktop features are being developed 10% ROL and ROOL will eventually kiss and make up 5% App developments are critical 10% Dave Holden sleeps easy at night 19% Discuss this | Archives Featured articles Wakefield 2009 wrap-up, photos and video The weekend's RISC OS event has been and gone and we've got the rest of our lives to look forward to. Here's a round-up of extra news and Drobe's show-related coverage and some photos taken from Wakefield 2009 - plus a video from the show floor.  16 comments, latest by AW on 29/4/09 7:41PM. Published: 27 Apr 2009 RISC OS 5 pictured running on ARM Cortex-A8 kit Picture exclusive - This grainy photograph shows a port of RISC OS 5, sourced from the RISC OS Open project, running on a Beagleboard - a device powered by a 600MHz ARM Cortex-A8 processor with a built-in graphics chip. The port, developed by Jeffrey Lee with help from Uwe Kall and ROOL staff, is seen as a major breakthrough for the shared-source project as it proves the OS can be ported to new hardware without the need for a large team of engineers.  75 comments, latest by rjek on 30/4/09 3:15PM. Published: 25 Apr 2009 Open documents from Windows-using pals with handy online tool It can be a pain when someone sends you a file that can only be opened on Windows, Mac OS X or Linux - but with the help of a free-to-use website and NetSurf, Paul Stewart reveals how these documents can be viewed on RISC OS.  6 comments, latest by AW on 8/5/09 12:12AM. Published: 19 Apr 2009 Useful links News and media: Iconbar • MyRISCOS • ArcSite • RISCOScode • ANS • C.S.A.Announce • Archive • Qercus • RiscWorld • GAG-News Top developers: RISCOS Ltd • RISC OS Open • MW Software • R-Comp • Advantage Six • VirtualAcorn Dealers: CJE Micros • APDL • Castle • a4 • X-Ample • Liquid Silicon • Webmonster Usergroups: WROCC • RONE • NKACC • IRUG • SASAUG • ROUGOL • RONWUG • MUG • GAG • RISCOS.be Useful: RISCOS.org • RISCOS.info • Filebase • NetSurf Non-RISC OS: The Register • The Inquirer • Apple Insider • BBC News • Sky News • Google News • xkcd • diodesign

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