From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri May 4 22:37:03 2012 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 473ED1065670 for ; Fri, 4 May 2012 22:37:03 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Received: from mx01.qsc.de (mx01.qsc.de [213.148.129.14]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 042D08FC16 for ; Fri, 4 May 2012 22:37:03 +0000 (UTC) Received: from r56.edvax.de (port-92-195-20-192.dynamic.qsc.de [92.195.20.192]) by mx01.qsc.de (Postfix) with ESMTP id 464C53CF71; Sat, 5 May 2012 00:37:02 +0200 (CEST) Received: from r56.edvax.de (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by r56.edvax.de (8.14.5/8.14.5) with SMTP id q44Mb1IV003097; Sat, 5 May 2012 00:37:01 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from freebsd@edvax.de) Date: Sat, 5 May 2012 00:37:01 +0200 From: Polytropon To: Robert Bonomi Message-Id: <20120505003701.080fdb85.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: <201205042211.q44MB039044411@mail.r-bonomi.com> References: <20120504210420.GA30610@mech-cluster241.men.bris.ac.uk> <201205042211.q44MB039044411@mail.r-bonomi.com> Organization: EDVAX X-Mailer: Sylpheed 3.1.1 (GTK+ 2.24.5; i386-portbld-freebsd8.2) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: mexas@bristol.ac.uk, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Off topic: NetBSD or OpenBSD for Alpha server ? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: Polytropon List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 04 May 2012 22:37:03 -0000 On Fri, 4 May 2012 17:11:00 -0500 (CDT), Robert Bonomi wrote: > For obselete hardware one frequetly has no alternative but to run an > obselete operating system. Depending on the actual intention of use, it _may_ be no problem to use obsolete operating systems and software. (For example, I still have a FreeBSD 5.4 system with lots of applications installed, perfectly working on a 300 MHz system, intended for "special purposes"; I would _never_ use that as a server facing the Internet!) > The OP has already decided on a *BSD. Recommending VMS, of any form, is > not a 'helpful'/'responsive' response to his questions. You *don't*know* > _why_ he has selected *BSD, so you have _no_ idea whether VMS is viable > or his needs. > > Given that he -needs- a *BSD on _that_ hardware which which 'flavor' would > you recomend? Or would you insist he discard that hardware and replace > it with something current? inquiring minds want to know. *grin* It there is a _required_ reason to run Alpha hardware, an older FreeBSD OS isn't a bad choice. Depending on the availability of sources (per /usr/ports of _that_ version) or of packages (from the installation media of _that_ version, or $PACKAGESITE pointing to the correct archives on the FreBSD FTP server), software can be installed. There's also the excellent tool "portdowngrade". However, it may be a "try & miss" to find out what software still runs, what _current_ software can be made running, and what operation procedures still work. This _ALL_ depends on what the system should be used for. Only the OP can decide about what applies, and what doesn't. -- Polytropon Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...