Subject: (OFF-TOPIC) NuBus Based PPC's
To: None <port-mac68k@netbsd.org>
From: Greg <raisplin@rcn.com>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 05/20/2000 21:42:47
I know that this subject has been discussed briefly (maybe at length) and
this is probably off-topic for both lists, however I would like to inquire
anyway...

Is anyone working on a version of NetBSD for the NuBus based PowerMacs?  I
know that MkLinux exists but it _just wasn't the same_ if you know what I
mean.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately and if I had the skills to port
_anything_ I would be more than happy to work on it myself, sadly, I don't

I know from what I have briefly read on the mailing lists reads something
like:

"create a new port which uses the port-mac68k device drivers, boot code,
and utilities and uses the port-macppc stuff for everything else".

and a reply from Dr. Studenmund with:

"Ack! No! :-) sune/sun3x did that, and then re-merged a short while later.
:-)

You don't need a different port! There are however two main parts of a
port to NuBus machines: 601 support and support for that hardware."

and some info from Jason thorpe:

"FWIW, I've got a start at 601 support... My girlfriend has a 601 PCI
Macintosh that she'd like to run NetBSD on :-)"

and there was at one point a brief discussion of DMA, AMIC and something
called BART (maybe someone made that up for the discussion) that died off as
well..

I also know that this subject is brought up every few months at least on the
mac-ppc list and it seems to die quite quickly.  I _thought_ I remembered a
post to the list a while (well a long while) back about someone in Japan
working on a port to NuBus based PPC macs, but I cannot seem to find any
reference to it in the archives...

SO my final little question is, do we have anyone working on this, and if
not, why not?  <g> there are a lot of older NuBus based PPC's out there that
would make nice little NetBSD boxes :)

Granted, I don't know what goes into porting NetBSD to another architecture,
nor do I know if I _really_ want to (I bet it is very difficult), but I for
one, would love to be able to run NetBSD on some of the newer but before PCI
PowerPC based Macs....

Regards,

Greg