Are any of the EEPROM bits currently reserved for anything?

[WhiteHare]

I'm thinking that the easiest solution to the problem of self-identifying which RFM69 module a particular Moteino is using, as well as whether or not the Moteino is equipped with extra flash memory, is to simply reserve a few bits in the EEPROM and then properly set them at the time the Moteino is made (or later, for those Moteino's already made).  Are there any good reasons NOT to do it that way?  If we can reach consensus on which bits those are (or if Felix were to simply decide it by fiat), then it would potentially help with code sharing.

[ieris]

I like the idea. Flash can be identified, but for radio it will solve a problem of detection.

[perky]

As long as people are careful not to do a chip erase during programming but preserve the EPROM contents...

Mark.

[Felix]

This very subject sounds like was touched before.

Here's some cons:

Like Perky said EEPROM can be easily erased or overwritten without realizing.
People sometimes desolder radios and replace with another type.
I would have to inform everyone of this "breaking" change, lots of folks would object at the inconvenience to change how they are coding nodes, especially if they have old nodes with hardcoded settings.

I still believe the best solution is to keep separation of concerns. The radio itself should be able to tell you what type it is. Hope decided to make all these variants, but never thought that since they are pin compatible, the issue of discerning what radio is what will ever be important. What a fail ... when I make my own radios this will be fixed once and for all

[perky]

Hold on, can the 328P read the user signature bytes from main code? That would be far safer than using EEPROM...

Mark.