Another topic to be added to the advocacy effort has been the issue of
firmware.  This issue takes on several flavors, disks, tape drives, cpu's,
etc.  For now let's start with the issue of the firmware on disk drives,
specifically SCSI-se and SCSI-fw.

   The topic has been raised a couple of different ways:

1)  If somebody purchased an HP "Branded" disk drive from the used equipment
market would they be able to get the latest firmware for said drive and
upgrade it?

2)  If somebody purchased an HP "blessed", but not "Branded" disk drive (by
this it's ment that it's a model that HP has branded, but this particular
drive was not purchased and branded by HP before being sold originally), would
they be able to get the latest HP firmware for said drive and upgrade it?

3)  What about other SCSI se/fw drives, that "in theory" should work on native
e3000 hardware but have neither been "blessed" or "branded"?

   One of the questions HP had back to the group was what is the greater need
and interest?  So, since those same HP people are in the list and the list
represents the larger group then just what was in the room, can you respond
with your thoughts and discussion on the topic?

Thanx,
   Jon Backus