Subject: Re: CVS commit: src
To: None <thorpej@nas.nasa.gov>
From: Ross Harvey <ross@ghs.com>
List: source-changes
Date: 04/20/1999 10:38:16
> From: Jason Thorpe <thorpej@nas.nasa.gov>
>
> On Mon, 19 Apr 1999 23:16:36 -0700 (PDT)
> Ross Harvey <ross@netbsd.org> wrote:
>
> > Modified Files:
> > src/sys/arch/alpha/conf: GENERIC
> > Log Message:
> > options INSECURE, like i386
> > pckbc* -> pckbc0, like i386
>
> Why?!
Oh, I didn't think this would be controversial. I did mention it to Charles
and to our security-ocifer (hic!) last night. :-) Our security-officer
noted that in his opinion securelevel=1 was annoying for no real security.
Anyway, I can change it back if you are sure about this, but I'll list my
reasoning below:
>
> - i386 uses INSECURE so that the X server works "out of the box".
> It's not necessary on the Alpha.
Right, that's what I figured, and since...
* -E1 X is working again
* we seem to have mostly multia users (poor guys :-)
* the -E2 card is almost working
* the X server is being accelerated
* i'll be working on VGA X server stuff soon
... it seemed like it would be nice if X worked `out of the box'
on alpha too. We will have 1.4 users for A LONG TIME, and I was kind
of planning on building X against 1.4 in the coming year if we made
worthwhile enhancements that didn't require kernel mods.
Given the huge time between releases, and since kernel changes are
necessary for real X support, I was hoping to provide a "1.4 patch"
kit later this year, depending on point releases, 1.5 plans, etc...
> - pckbc* is perfectly legitimate, and I think cloned devices
> are more appropriate in GENERIC than wired devices. The
> only reason this wasn't cloned in the i386 port is because
> it used to use __BROKEN_INDIRECT_CONFIG; it would actually work
> now.
Well, OK, but it hardly matters, and there are other reasons...
* pckbc0 is exactly what the man page says. (And there is so
@@#*@!!-little documentation for wscons, it seems a pity to
violate about the only #@@#*@! thing that _is_ written down
about it. :-)
* the damn thing _is_ hardwired at compile-time for I/O port 60,
you know .. and the match routine just checks that and bails if
you try to do anything else. There is some partially written and
certainly never-successfully-tested code to operate an aux port
keyboard, but even that must be hardwired in the config file or
it bails. (And I think you can't have both.)
Ross.Harvey@Computer.Org