From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Jun 11 15:14:05 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id ADF341065673 for ; Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:14:05 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from frank@esperance-linux.co.uk) Received: from mailout.zetnet.co.uk (mailout.zetnet.co.uk [194.247.47.231]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3787F8FC19 for ; Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:14:05 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from frank@esperance-linux.co.uk) Received: from irwell.zetnet.co.uk ([194.247.47.48] helo=zetnet.co.uk) by mailout.zetnet.co.uk with esmtp (Exim 4.63) (envelope-from ) id 1K6S1T-0000Ld-VC; Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:14:03 +0100 Received: from melon.esperance-linux.co.uk (54-144.adsl.zetnet.co.uk [194.247.54.144]) by zetnet.co.uk (8.14.1/8.14.1/Debian-9) with ESMTP id m5BFE240028806; Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:14:02 +0100 Received: by melon.esperance-linux.co.uk (Postfix, from userid 1001) id B3495FCABAF; Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:13:34 +0100 (BST) Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:13:34 +0100 From: Frank Shute To: Heikki Suonsivu Message-ID: <20080611151334.GC1538@melon.esperance-linux.co.uk> Mail-Followup-To: Heikki Suonsivu , freebsd-questions@freebsd.org References: <484FA0BF.9000402@wlansystems.com> <484FB168.1070900@otenet.gr> <484FDBF9.7010700@wlansystems.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <484FDBF9.7010700@wlansystems.com> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.3i X-Face: *}~{PHnDTzvXPe'wl_-f%!@+r5; VLhb':*DsX%wEOPg\fDrXWQJf|2\,92"DdS%63t*BHDyQ|OWo@Gfjcd72eaN!4%NE{0]p)ihQ1MyFNtWL X-Operating-System: FreeBSD 6.3-RELEASE-p2 i386 X-Organisation: 'Esperance Linux' X-Greylist: Sender IP whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-3.0 (zetnet.co.uk [194.247.46.1]); Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:14:02 +0100 (BST) Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD-like linux distro? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: Frank Shute List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:14:05 -0000 On Wed, Jun 11, 2008 at 05:06:49PM +0300, Heikki Suonsivu wrote: > > Oops, sorry, I was not specific enough: > > FreeBSD 4 or older NetBSD are no go: > > The computer I am doing this is not old, it is otherwise brand new, but > it uses an embedded cpu, a 486 clone as SoC without math. See > www.compactpc.com.tw, eBOX 2300SX. It is very low cost, runs on about > 3W of power with CF card as mass memory, 128M, 3 USB2, serials, sound, > etc, it has VESA form factor so you can attach it behind many LCD > displays, etc. They have beefier models, but this one is cheapest and > uses least power, latter of which is the more critical requirement for us. > > We would like to use it for certain control applications. Linux works, > has been tested, but requires patches (turn math emulation on, add > support for built-in ethernet, bug workaround). I don't know if this machine is going to be sited on an insecure network or not. If it is, then you'll probably be using ssh. Without a math co-proc to do the crypto, it will be horrendous. I don't even know if ssh would work with an architecture without a maths unit. If it can't work with ssh, then you might be restricting your market. I think you are punishing yourself unneccesarily by going with a processor without maths. You restrict the software (both OS & application) you can run. > > The problem with is that while FreeBSD 4 seemed to boot on it, it did > not recognize any peripherals as they are new. Old OS's are not really > what we want, this is not one-off but volume product, it will be > internet-connected so we need bugfixes and we need support for latest > chipsets on 802.11 cards etc. > > There is another similar CPU, even slower and less power consuming, I do > not remember the part number, I think it was about 100 MHz 486 without > math as well. This was some manufacturer of microcontrollers. Can't you find a manufacturer that makes something similar with a DX instead? Or can you email this company and ask them how much it would cost to run off X units with a 486DX rather than SX? > > Heikki -- Frank Contact info: http://www.shute.org.uk/misc/contact.html