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Date:      Thu, 11 Dec 1997 16:55:05 +1100 (EDT)
From:      Darren Reed <avalon@coombs.anu.edu.au>
To:        jkh@time.cdrom.com (Jordan K. Hubbard)
Cc:        Pierre.Beyssac@hsc.fr, jasone@canonware.com, freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Beginning SPARC port
Message-ID:  <199712110556.VAA05521@hub.freebsd.org>
In-Reply-To: <24040.881807949@time.cdrom.com> from "Jordan K. Hubbard" at Dec 10, 97 06:39:09 pm

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In some mail from Jordan K. Hubbard, sie said:
> 
> > Since NetBSD already runs quite fine on many SPARC models, maybe
> > it would be a good idea to consider using their code as a starting
> 
> Unfortunately, not on the new Ultra AFAIK.  The Ultra, being 64 bit,
> is going to be a rather special challenge.
> 
> I've a longer reply in progress to Jason, once I've managed to
> wade through all the other replies first so that I don't get
> needlessly redundant. :)

NetBSD/sparc boots single user on sun4u, last I heard.  Further than
that, I'm not sure, but it would *definately* be worthwhile talking
to the NetBSD/sparc people.

However, I think the 64bit issue is around the wrong way.  The issue
now is what does having a 64bit "long type" mean for FreeBSD ?  How
much code still relies on sizeof(long) == sizeof(int) == sizeof(void*)
and only 32 bits ?  If you're serious about wanting a FreeBSD port
running on the sun4u (and eventually DEC alpha), then FreeBSD needs
to be sure it can deal with 64bit longs and 64bit pointers - which
I think can be started on now even if sun4u/alpha work is some time
away.

Darren



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