Re: [9fans] Sparc

[Chris Collins <xfire-9fans@xware.cx>]

Rodolfo (kix) wrote:
> I have an old "Sun Sparc Classic" and I would like to install plan9.
> Is possible to do it? How is the sparc support in Plan9?

sparc32 is very incomplete.  It worked, once upon a time, back in 2nd ed 
days, but these are the days of the 4th edition.  The kernel has changed 
a lot.

I have part of a port.  I will be resuming work in this port at some 
point in time.

I personally don't think my partial port is a good starting place 
however - I have had a fair bit of time to think about how to do things 
since.  When I restart, I will probably throw it back to the bin to 
start from scratch using the i386's 4th ed source as a basis, not the 
sparc 2nd ed source.

And to be honest, you'd be better off with an i386 or sparcv9, in which 
case you'd be trying to use Newsham's sparc64 port, not sparc32.

As for when I will get back on sparc32, anybody's guess is good about 
now.  My job is a lot more involved these days than it was when I 
started working on sparc32.  That, and I now have a hobby that involves 
spending a lot of time away from computers.

I still have my stack of SS10s.  I still want to run 9 CPU servers on 
them.  I will eventually make it work.  I just don't know when.  Its not 
a high priority as I'd be doing this more for the academic value than 
the practical value.

The only way this may suddenly accelerate is if I find a way to program 
plan9 kernels into Sun Ray 1 terminals (I have 3 of the damned things 
sitting around), in which case a terminal kernel for the microsparc 
might show up sooner than expected...

C.