LE>> Rockwell varmint. The functionality of an RPI modem is /enhanced/ by the 
LE>> drivers. The functionality of a Winmodem is /provided/ by the drivers and 
LE>> it has /no/ functionality without them.
BG> The same could be said of ANY generic DSP modem, even the Courier.  Take 
BG> away its EPROM (and associated driver code) and you essentially end up with 
BG> the same device.  Seems your anti-MS paranoia has obviously clouded your 

It seems to me on this issue you are being intentionally stupid, Bill. The
basic functional diagram of the WinModem (in operation), omitting details
like the DAA, is :

+-----+  XXX  +--------------------------+
| DSP +-------+ Host CPU (i386, 486 etc) |
+-----+       +--------------------------+

There's probably also some RAM on the card, but I couldn't say fersure, not
having used one. Anyway - Without the /special/ magic /platform-specific/
code running on the host CPU (=> specific host CPU, specific host
operating environment required), the WinModem is useless. (XXX = a
proprietary interface). Using the modem as a modem requires the host CPU to
run proprietary magic software.

In contrast, ANY "real" modem, a description we'll stretch to
include a Rockwell RPI monster, looks thusly:

+-----+  XXX  +---------------------------+      +---------------------------+
| DSP +-------+ Dedicated microcontroller +------+ Standard serial interface |
+-----+       +---------------------------+      +---------------------------+

It doesn't matter what the host CPU is, or even if there is a host CPU at
all, because the only proprietary magic is inside the modem and firewalled
away from the real world by a standard serial interface on the host end and
a standard phone interface on the DAA end. The modem could be connected to
some bundle of discrete logic which generates a stream of bits, for all it
cares.

The WinModem (and to a lesser degree RPI) is an unforgivable engineering
freak, the thalidomide child of modem design.
-- Lewin A.R.W. Edwards [Team OS/2]  Tel 0419320415 * 0412809805 * 0414927056
@EOT:

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