DH>> Don't do it.  It's wiping out EEPROMs, with one case reported of
DH>> 3 out of 5 effectively destroyed.  There's significant
DH>> disagreement as to just why, with an apparent admission from USR
DH>> personnel that it's an intentional recall of certain units.  (At
DH>> customer expense, at that.) Interesting and disturbing
DH>> discussions.  Read and figure.

PC> Any idea why USR are doing this or do you think it was just a bad
PC> batch of Flash Roms.

My take is that the upper area of the Flash Roms is untested.  Alternately,
it may have been a deliberate buy of a batch of known "part good"
Flash Roms, with the "knowlege" that "we never use that
area".  So far, USR aren't saying, other than the possibly in error
admission that the effect was intentional.

(Do you get the impression that accurate information is kinda lacking..? 
Uh.. yeah...:-)

DH>> Also, the "current" 61 SDL on ftp.usr.com is in fact a reverse
DH>> upgrade scam, taking a Courier back to pre - v34+ operation.
DH>> The external date is in May 96 - the SDL code actually dates
DH>> from early 1995.  It removes v34+. :-(  Don't. Less than
DH>> friendly operation seems to be the order of the day - and "we're
DH>> here to help you" has much the same meaning as your local tax
DH>> office representative.

PC> Intentional or just sloppy SDL control?.

IMHO, a pipelined effect of the US government embargo against v34+ technology.
The legit Australian 61_ set, one of the early v34+ ones, was up on the USR
BBS for a while.  It could also be a mistake in BBS maintenance - but I
doubt it.  Why would the downgrade code be redated to current?

DH>> Suggested action at the moment - use only SDL code from a known
DH>> and trusted friend - USR is not such at the moment.  Do NOT
DH>> "upgrade" if you don't need to.

PC> I'll stick to the enhanced 11/95 code myself.

I reckon.  I'm not touching a new SDL with a bargepole myself, for some
time to come, until and unless this mess is sorted out.

Regards,
Dave Hatch.

--- Msgedsq 3.20