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Re: Re: Ethernet collision with modem?



Hi,

>A little-known rule in PC architecture is that COM port must be
>in consecutive order, with no "holes". I.e., it's "illegal" to
>have COM1, COM2 and COM4 (without COM3).
>
>Many of you may jump right at me with "well I do that all the time
>and it works". I know. That may be the case with some software;
>then again, other software may fail and the overall status is -
>as they say - "unpredictable". Some things work, some things break.

I'd like to comment on that:
1. DOS assigns the COMs in consecutive order, but no one else.
2. It will always work, if your program supports a specific port/irq setting
rather than COM1-COM4
3. Already in Win3 you could define COMs and LPTs 100% free by port/irq
4. Never by a board without a PS/2 mouse port - it solves a lot of problems

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