Date: Sat, 5 May 2012 00:37:01 +0200 From: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> To: Robert Bonomi <bonomi@mail.r-bonomi.com> Cc: mexas@bristol.ac.uk, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Off topic: NetBSD or OpenBSD for Alpha server ? 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>
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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, ...
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