Re: [9fans] Which PowerPC Architectures?

[forsyth@vitanuova.com]

>>PowerPC architecture is supported, but I found no more than that. I have a
>>PowerPC Mac (an 8600 to be exact). Will Plan9 run on this machine?

the powerpc compiler (qa, qc, ql) should cope with any powerpc port.
at some point i'll merge any further changes i've got here compared
to the released version once i've had a chance to diff them.

there are many powerpc hardware implementations, with different architectures
at kernel level (just counting 32 bit -- i think there are 64 bit variants as well
that i've not had a chance to use).  in particular, the cache control and mmu
implementations are dramatically different between 8xx and 6xx.
glancing at a 750 manual, it looks to be 6xx style, but no doubt with
its own peculiarities.

the powerpc kernel support in the release is usable as a base
for ports to the powerpc 8xx (eg, 860, 821, 823, 850).
the example is for a specific configuration, using an 860 i think.
it's a good example of an embedded application of plan 9.
nice of them to include it, actually.

the 8xx kernel architecture is very far from the architecture of the mac,
which will be more along 6xx lines.

the distribution does not include kernel support for the powerpc
603/603e variants, but i've got it for old plan9, and inferno.
i've made it available to various people from time to time.

if the powermac is G3, i suspect you're out of luck.  i didn't think
hardware details of that had been released.  even if they have,
or if it's 604 based, you've still got a fair amount of work to do
for a plan 9 port.

Charles Forsyth