Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 19:22:43 -0800 From: Terry Lambert <tlambert2@mindspring.com> To: chris-freebsd@randomcamel.net Cc: current@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: 80386 out of GENERIC Message-ID: <3DFFEA03.A27668A8@mindspring.com> References: <24244.1039900460@critter.freebsd.dk> <9710634521.20021214232526@dds.nl> <3DFC0AB1.D60AAF66@mindspring.com> <200212160955.14531.DavidJohnson@Siemens.com> <20021216180948.GD27912@zot.electricrain.com>
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Chris Doherty wrote: > > p.s. I somehow suspect that embedded systems vendors aren't installing from > > the CDROM. > > why is this an issue? > > 1) supporting every computer made since 1964 is NetBSD's job, not > FreeBSD's. > > 2) I'm scared that 5.0 is going to be unpleasantly slow on my p2-366, let > alone a 386. > > 3) if you feel compelled to run old hardware, why not shell out $30 for a > 486 system? for $50 you can get a Pentium 166. :-) > > I'm really keen to see FreeBSD move *forward*. Apparently, one of the primary markets for FreeBSD is embedded devices. Macrocell libraries, from which CPU cores are assembled with purpose functional macrocells for embedded devices, such as the Apple AirPort (which is a 386 device), and similar devices, often offer 386's. Several vendors libraries offer 486's, but not all of them. Pentium macrocells generally require cooling, which means a fan, which means moving parts, which means that they do not meet selection criteria for telecomunications and military infrastructure, which often requires no moving parts. In general, it's not an issue: most embedded developement is cross-developement, where the compiling is not on the box where the code is expected to run. Even were that not the case, the special-purpose nature of the hardware often means that there is not a real BIOS supporting the hardware function, and it could not boot as a general purpose PC, in any case (it's at least as different as the PC98 -- and usually more different). I think the only place you could make a case is emerging markets in the third world, which are getting leftover equipment from the first world, which translates to them having 386 boxes, and no wayto load FreeBSD, so they go with Linux or some other OS instead. Even that argument is very weak. -- Terry To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message
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