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Date:      Thu, 15 May 1997 18:20:14 -0400 (EDT)
From:      Andrew Gallatin <gallatin@CS.Duke.EDU>
To:        Brandon Gillespie <brandon@cold.org>
Cc:        freebsd-alpha@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Alpha questions.. 
Message-ID:  <199705152220.SAA12115@hurricane.cs.duke.edu>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.NEB.3.95.970515153129.10774B-100000@cold.org>
References:  <199705151537.LAA01984@hurricane.cs.duke.edu> <Pine.NEB.3.95.970515153129.10774B-100000@cold.org>

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Brandon Gillespie writes:
 > On Thu, 15 May 1997, Andrew Gallatin wrote:
 > > 
 > > Actually, most of these "Alpha PC" type systems (including Aspen's
 > > Durrango & all Enorex's systems) are just re-packaged DEC AlphaPC164
 > > or EB164 motherboards.  Firmware for which is included in the
 > > above-mentioned Alpha EBSDK.
 > 
 > The company I work for will be selling Aspen Alpha PC's as well as just
 > Alpha PC stuff in general.  I would like to have FreeBSD available as
 > a no-cost default O/S option.  (just a fyi)

Cool!

 > If it means anything, I've had the impression so far that by default
 > everything comes with the ARC console, and you have to pay more for the
 > SRM console (the amount will vary, I've seen the SRM console cost up to
 > $2,969 for the official ''digital Unix SRM console'').
 > 
 > I have no idea what EBSDK is.

See http://ftp.digital.com/pub/Digital/info/semiconductor/literature/sdkrmf.pdf
The DEC part number is  QR-21B02-03.  I understand it costs $75.

 > Basically, what I'm saying is please try to keep the low-cost alternatives
 > in mind.  If FreeBSD was only available off the SRM console that means to
 > use FreeBSD you would have to pay an extra wad of cash just to switch from
 > the ARC to the SRM console so it'll boot (people have the same problem
 > when wanting Digital Unix vs NT).

Right.  $75 isn're really a wad, but that could change at the drop of
a hat.  What I'm suggesting is to use SRM as an interim solution until
such time as an ARC-loadable console program can be developed.

Drew
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Gallatin				http://www.cs.duke.edu/~gallatin
Duke University				Email:		gallatin@cs.duke.edu
Department of Computer Science		Phone:		(919) 660-6590





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