Is there a way I can write a program to find out what different ports do? Like, say I want to figure out all the ports on a graphics card and their uses. Is it possible to do that?

You need to look up "reverse engineering".

Lol, well... Yeah, maybe I could reverse engineer some drivers if I had the right tools.

There once was a decent disassembler called Sourcer out there.

now there is decent disassembler called IDA out there.

yes, i remember sourcer. but it wasn't interactive

Please see the attached file, it can tell me what do you want to know. ^_^

PORT LIST Release 52 Last change 20oct96
Copyright (c) 1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996 Ralf Brown
[This file originally by Wim Osterholt (2:512/56 or wim@djo.wtm.tudelft.nl),
though it has grown considerably since.]

XT, AT and PS/2 I/O port addresses

Do NOT consider this information to be complete and accurate. If you want
to do hardware programming ALWAYS check the appropriate data sheets (but
even they are sometimes in error!). Be aware that erroneous port programming
can put your data or even your hardware at risk.

Xiexie ni, Kevin! This is very helpful!

Yes, thanks Kevin, your post is very appropriate. May I inquire whether the FASM site is visible again from ZG? When I was there two years ago, it was blocked by the censors in BeiJing. How about your own work? Do you ever communicate with the half dozen other folks using FASM in China? Did you have a chance to catch Mazegen, Vid, Tomasz, and Hypervista's excellent webcast at the end of September? Perhaps you and the other folks in BeiJing and elsewhere in ZG can join together in similar fashion next year!

Hi, Toms:
Unfortunately. the FASM suite has been blocked by the censors in Beijing. So I have to use proxy server to access it. Another answer is that I've worked in Phoenix Technologies Ltd and my job title is Senior BIOS Engineer. ^_^
There are a fewer of People to use FASM for their work in China until now, but I think that the root cause is that the FASM suite can't access from China.FASM is a very greatful Assembly Language complier, I hope that there are more and more Assemly Language Funs to use it for their working.

I have't got a chance to catch Mazegen, Vid, Tomasz, and Hypervista's excellent webcast; and I've downloaded the meeting video from FTP suite and watched it.

China Meeting? It's a very greate idea for ours. If any other folks want to together it, please send the message or email to me, I think that we will share a very happy day. ^_^

Thank you and others.

Kevin Zheng