Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:43:20 +0000 From: Anton Shterenlikht <mexas@bristol.ac.uk> To: Ade Lovett <ade@freebsd.org> Cc: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org, Marcel Moolenaar <xcllnt@mac.com>, freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: BSDInstall: merging to HEAD Message-ID: <20110120164320.GA17624@mech-cluster241.men.bris.ac.uk> In-Reply-To: <E173EC03-1A94-493B-A70F-D5171CCCCB33@FreeBSD.org> References: <4D309563.1000404@freebsd.org> <7029F1A3-87A2-4203-840C-48B712EA70B8@mac.com> <E173EC03-1A94-493B-A70F-D5171CCCCB33@FreeBSD.org>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Sat, Jan 15, 2011 at 12:58:33AM -0600, Ade Lovett wrote: > > On Jan 14, 2011, at 19:31 , Marcel Moolenaar wrote: > > On Jan 14, 2011, at 10:26 AM, Nathan Whitehorn wrote: > > > >> The final architecture on which we use sysinstall, ia64, is currently unsupported, because I don't know how to set up booting on those systems -- patches to solve this are very much welcome. > > > > Don't let this stop you. I'll work with you on this after the dust > > has settled. > > Just out of random curiosity. Seriously. > > Exactly why, short of "of course it runs", in which case NetBSD is --> way, why are we even trying to handle ia64 as a platform, regardless of tier, when it is patently obvious that it is going absolutely _nowhere_ in terms of a viable platform? > I was waiting for a developer to reply, but anyway.. I don't know why you, the FreeBSD project, offer ia64 distribution, but as a user I'm very grateful to you for providing it. I think NetBSD is nowhere near FreeBSD on ia64 support. I've learnt things with FreeBSD/ia64 (and with FreeBSD/alpha before it) which I woudn't have leart otherwise. I've 3 FreeBSD/ia64 boxes and by and large I'm very happy with this platform. I can do all I need to do with it. The ~400 or so ports installed on my system is good enough. > At least I can pick up a box for <$50 from ebay and run /sparc64 on it. Say the same for /ia64? Didn't think so. > Well.. ia64 is more expensive, yes. But.. I think it can give you more. I'm quite tempted to get this server, for example: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280618792191 But sparc64 is good as well. In fact, I use a FreeBSD/sparc64 box as an Xserver to view clients running on FreeBSD/ia64. many thanks for your excellent work anton -- Anton Shterenlikht Room 2.6, Queen's Building Mech Eng Dept Bristol University University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR, UK Tel: +44 (0)117 331 5944 Fax: +44 (0)117 929 4423
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?20110120164320.GA17624>