From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Message-ID: <8a9f3e6173768f823baf5b0b0156daec@csplan9.rit.edu>
To: 9fans@9fans.net
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:28:17 -0500
From: john@csplan9.rit.edu
In-Reply-To: <13426df10812180821v48dca887l1ec7ea33f9cabedf@mail.gmail.com>
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Subject: Re: [9fans] How can I boot plan9 on my Compaq AlphaServer DS10L?
Topicbox-Message-UUID: 67df7fe8-ead4-11e9-9d60-3106f5b1d025

> On Wed, Dec 17, 2008 at 8:12 PM,  <lucio@proxima.alt.za> wrote:
>>> I can help the DS10L.
>>>
>>> 1. open window
>>> 2. look out, make sure no one is in the areas
>>> 3. slide DS10L out window
>>
>> Sure, but how do you "keep Plan 9 honest" if no one checks
>> portability?
>>
>
> The Alpha is dead. It never ran 64-bit anyway. What are you proving
> running a dead machine in a dead mode? Your time is worth more than
> that.
>
> go with the arm. The problem is that time is short, we have few
> people, and putting lots of time into a dead machine really helps no
> one.
>
> The ARM is incredibly popular, wider usage than x86 from what I know,
> and much more interesting. I think an ARM port to modern ARM platform
> would really be wonderful.
>
> ron

I must grudgingly concur.  I'd love to boot Plan 9 on my old
Alphastation, but I'm probably going to keep VMS or maybe try a UNIX.
Let's let the system die--and I say that as a fan of old computers.

Rather than supporting lots of architectures, I'd rather we had
support for more hardware.  Instead of fixing the port of alpha, write
a couple device drivers; find an x86 itch and scratch it.


John