From owner-freebsd-hackers  Sun Dec  1 16:29:18 1996
Return-Path: owner-hackers
Received: (from root@localhost)
          by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) id QAA09046
          for hackers-outgoing; Sun, 1 Dec 1996 16:29:18 -0800 (PST)
Received: from time.cdrom.com (root@time.cdrom.com [204.216.27.226])
          by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) with ESMTP id QAA09041
          for <hackers@freebsd.org>; Sun, 1 Dec 1996 16:29:16 -0800 (PST)
Received: from time.cdrom.com (jkh@localhost [127.0.0.1]) by time.cdrom.com (8.8.3/8.6.9) with ESMTP id QAA05019; Sun, 1 Dec 1996 16:28:24 -0800 (PST)
To: Terry Lambert <terry@lambert.org>
cc: jehamby@lightside.com, hackers@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: FreeBSD/Alpha (was Re: COMDEX trip report) 
In-reply-to: Your message of "Sun, 01 Dec 1996 16:47:52 MST."
             <199612012347.QAA09401@phaeton.artisoft.com> 
Date: Sun, 01 Dec 1996 16:28:23 -0800
Message-ID: <5015.849486503@time.cdrom.com>
From: "Jordan K. Hubbard" <jkh@time.cdrom.com>
Sender: owner-hackers@freebsd.org
X-Loop: FreeBSD.org
Precedence: bulk

> For PPC, you forgot:
> 
> 2) Already supported by Linux and, to a lesser extent, NetBSD (when
>    discussing the newer ALPHA/PCI systems) thus making it *easier to
>    bootstrap from an existing port*.

OK, I wasn't aware of this.  That's actually good news, since I'm not
as hostile towards PPC as I sound, simply disappointed in its progress
so far.  Should that change, it's good to know that the software will
be there.

> 3) Supported by a large group of vendors, second only to Intel
>   processors.  Alpha is supported by... well... DEC.

True enough, though I'm slightly surprised that they've no second
sources lined up by now.  Don't most govn't contracts outright
*require* the presence of a second source before they'll sign a check?
You'd think that DEC would have at least played enough of the
game to get someone like Fujitsu lined up as a second source.

					Jordan