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NetBSD-current on PowerMac G4's and iMacDV

Posted by Nik on from the NP:-Motherless-child dept.

Hawks writes, "For you NetBSD junkies out there who don't like Darwin, according to the Changes to NetBSD/macpps 1.5 page, NetBSD now boots on the PowerMac G4's and iMacDV's. I would assume that means it should boot on the iBook and possibly the new Pismo PowerBooks. Hummm, 400Mhz laptop running *BSD...droolllll

16 comments

  1. Is the hardware worth it? by DrWiggy · · Score: 1

    I think it's cool that BSD has managed to assimilate another platform (sic), but is the additional cost (at least here in the UK) for this sort of kit worth it? Is it worth the development effort to get the code running on a machine whose owners are likely to want MacOS anyway?

    Just a thought...

    1. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by ChristTrekker · · Score: 2

      Don't make the mistake of thinking that hardware X is only good for software Y. The PPC architecture is a darn good one. With *n*x making such inroads in the embedded systems market, ports to the PPC make an incredible amount of sense due to their smaller size and lower power requirements. When I look at comparisons between the chips, I wonder why anyone would buy an x86 box. Yuck.

      I like PPC because it's a good design. (x86 is an outmoded hog.) I like MacOS because it's easy to learn and use. I like *n*x because it's a powerful tool. (Windows claims to be a powerful yet easy-to-use OS, and delivers on neither promise.) Developments like this mean that I can be completely Wintel-free. That's a good thing, IMO.

      --

      Constitutionally Correct

    2. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by elbuddha · · Score: 1

      NetBSD's philosophy is to port to everywhere, regardless of the development effort involved or the potential user base. Their motto is "Of course it runs NetBSD." NetBSD probably runs on more architectures than any other OS out there.

    3. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, I think it's pretty clear that Linux runs on more architectures. Where's the NetBSD port to OS/390? To Palm?

    4. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by lomion · · Score: 2

      If you want to see what netbsd can run on go here: http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/

      As for running on more platforms, I can;t say which runs on more, but I think netBSD has the edge. Running on a Palm would be nice though, but any handheld that can run Windows CE can probably run NetBSD, so i think that area is covered.

      --
      this space for rent
    5. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by howardjp · · Score: 2

      Where is the Linux port to the luna68k or the x68k or the pc532?

    6. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by hubertf · · Score: 2

      Linux is claimed to run on quite a number of platforms, but if it actually does so depends
      a great deal on how you define "run", and what you expect by "Linux" there.

      All the official NetBSD ports do support a set of operations - things like abstract interfaces for hardware[1], drivers, networking (IP, IPv6, httpd, etc.), a consistend userland, and many others.

      All this from one (1) source code.

      Linux? Where do I get sources for the userland?
      Where do I get sources for my Intel kernel?
      Where do I get sources for my OS/390 kernel?
      Where do I get sources for my Palm kernel?
      Where do I wont to go today? :)

      - Hubert

      [1] I was really shocked when I saw some time ago
      on Freshmeat that there seem to be hardware
      dependent date(1) commands that can set the
      system time on Intel *and* sparc systems ...
      sheesh!

    7. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by 7_of_9 · · Score: 2

      *scratches head* I don't see anything but ports of Linux to sparc, alpha and i386 when I look on ftp.redhat.com. I've heard rumours of a port to the PPC of Linux, also, but it would seem anything but those three aren't worthy. ftp.linux.com doesn't work, ftp.linux.org has next to nothing useful (that could be easily found), ftp.debian.org has i386, alpha, sparc and m68k under "stable", with those four plus "arm" and "ppc" under unstable. I don't see anything about 390's or palm there...I wonder what could have happened to them ? If you goto ftp.netbsd.org, look in the /pub/NetBSD/arch directory, you will find snapshots available for each release. That is, a `complete' unix installation, not just a kernel you have to retrieve from some obscure website that may or may not be part of the real thing. If you want to checkout a real, portable, Unix, goto http://www.netbsd.org or download a snapshot for your platform from ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/arch/

    8. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      S/390 is part of the official kernel. dumbass

    9. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh so I can install redhat on one? no? debian? no? oh, so you mean I have to download every software package individually, cross-compile each one until I have gcc built for the 390 so that I can build the rest of userland? how quaint.

    10. Re:Is the hardware worth it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ... and you probably need patches for gcc/binutils that are not available to even get a cross-compile environment setup.

  2. boot x required??? by ChristTrekker · · Score: 1

    Is this going to be one of those goofy deals that requires the Mac to load an extension (Boot X or something like that) before it can switch OS? Or will these PMacs boot right into BSD?

    --

    Constitutionally Correct

    1. Re:boot x required??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You don't need BootX for booting ANY OS on a mac (well, most macs), its just that for the average mac user, BootX is much less frightening than OF

    2. Re:boot x required??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I remember installing NetBSD on my old DUO, and i think it booted the OS straight from MacOS, not going through the OF. Im not sure if it was possible to boot right to NetBSD from OF...

      Anyway, that was a freaky project to begin with. :)

    3. Re:boot x required??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      PowerBook DUOs are quite old and outdated. OF is a rather new (last 3 years) feature of PowerMacs.

  3. Look at it this way... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ever get upset that cool app A isn't supported for BSD? Just think how us Mac owners feel about not having cool OS B isn't supported on our systems.

    I was just about to try to see if LinuxPPC's network driver support was working enough to FTP install when I caught this article. (I especially need to get something running with my long-time X86 Linux using roommate graduating soon.) There's a certain coolness factor to getting BSD working on a machine that Linux is starting to get too common for. I'm strongly considering going with NetBSD instead if I can convince myself that it'll be possible to install.

    It almost sounds as if you're offended that developers would be "wasting their time" on the platform. Be happy. More hardware == more BSD users. Just be warned to get ready for what's going to happen when Mac OS X comes out and Mac techies start trying to shake down long-time BSD techies for advice on how to configure their system.