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Date:      Thu, 31 Oct 1996 12:44:28 -0800 (PST)
From:      Jake Hamby <jehamby@lightside.com>
To:        Paul Griffith <paulg@interlog.com>
Cc:        chat@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: FreeBSD port to PPC ?
Message-ID:  <Pine.BSF.3.95.961031123429.582A-100000@hamby1>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSI.3.95.961101091708.889A-100000@gold.interlog.com>

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There's always BeOS.  It runs on PCI-based PowerMacs with 603 and 604
processors, as well as the BeBox, a low-cost, PReP-ish dual-CPU system
(imagine, SMP for $2200 fully configured!).  I know, I have one.  :-) 

BeOS feels like a cross between the user-friendliness of MacOS, the power
of UNIX (including a POSIX API, GNU command-line tools, memory protection,
SMP, shared libraries, microkernel architecture), the look of NeXT or SGI
in the GUI, and the raw speed of Amiga.  It should be making a big splash
at MacWorld next January, and already has a lot of the media buzzing.  If
this sounds interesting, check out http://www.be.com.  BTW, the DR8 beta
version for PowerMac will be bundled with the January issue of MacTech
magazine, so you will be able to try it out practically for free!

Getting back on topic, if you really want to run UNIX on PPC (and I'm
assuming MkLinux is not an option :-), I know that NetBSD is working on a
PowerPC port.  Right now it uses OpenFirmware for all I/O, so presumably
it'll work on PPCP boxes without any trouble, and I'd imagine it wouldn't
be too hard to get it going on PCI PowerMacs as well.  There's a mailing
list at port-powerpc@netbsd.org, and check out http://www.netbsd.org for
more info.  Of course, OpenBSD will support PowerPC if NetBSD does, so try
http://www.openbsd.org too.

-- Jake

On Fri, 1 Nov 1996, Paul Griffith wrote:

> Are they any backroom chit-chat on a FreeBSD port over to the Power PC
> Platform (PPCP) ?? I Think thats what it's called now.
> 
> I like these Power Macintosh computers from Apple and the clone makers,
> but the MacOS just sucks big time, I want a OS to take advantage of all
> that raw power.
> 
> Paul Griffith
> Apple Certified Tech. running FreeBSD on a AMD386/40 at home.
> paulg@interlog.com
> 
> 
> 




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