On Thu, 21 Sep 2000, Bill Studenmund wrote:

: > The "Install from MacOS" tools should really die, actually.
: 
: I think we should keep it. I agree that we need NetBSD based tools, and
: that they should be the default. But the "installer" is also a convenient
: way to get files back and forth between MacOS and NetBSD. :-)

The Amiga had this at one point, too, and still has a from-AmigaOS loader
(although it's now optional, as the Amiga bootblocks are more well
documented).  The problem with a MacOS-hosted installer is that it's not
possible to, say, boot the Booter from a 2MB partition and boot right into
NetBSD's _cross-platform_ sysinst installer.

Sysinst was invented to unify all platforms (mac68k included) in their
install methods.  As far as NetBSD's concerned, once a kernel is loaded, all
other tasks should be up to itself, including such things as partitioning[!]
and installing.  In fact, given a System 7.x boot disk, Mac partition
support, and in-kernel hfs support, sysinst could conceivably create a small
MacOS boot parition containing enabler[s], System, and Booter.

Now, having the Installer as an option is OK, but sysinst should work on
mac68k for those of us who want a uniform installation tool.

-- 
-- Todd Vierling <tv@wasabisystems.com>  *  http://www.wasabisystems.com/
-- Speed, stability, security, and support.  Wasabi NetBSD:  Run with it.