On 7/26/05, Robert Cates <robert@kormar.net> wrote:
> Hi,
>=20
> I'm so excited about 64-bit processors on the desktop, and the AMD64
> processors in particular, that I finally scraped some money together to b=
uy
> some hardware and installed NetBSD/AMD64 2.0.2 on it.  Everything went we=
ll
> except for no support for the BCM5751 NIC.  I can accept the fact that th=
e
> NetBSD Foundation cannot pump out new stable/formal releases of NetBSD
> everytime a new hardware device is put on the market, but can't the NetBS=
D
> Foundation speed up the releases just a bit more, without someone having =
to
> go to NetBSD-Current(?)...

Get a network card. I had to with my first AMD motherboard too. Either
that, or write the driver for the current release. I couldn't do it
either so I didn't complain. Sounds callous, but that's the reality of
it. I've got a broadcom gigabit adapter I'll sell you for $15 plus
shipping if you must have one (this is what I paid).

> Originally I saw on the NetBSD web site that the BCM5751 was supported (t=
his
> is not AMD64 specific), but later found out that the info on that page
> pertained to NetBSD-Current (an oversite on my part).  Today I went to th=
e
> AMD64 web site and followed the link under "Future Releases" (Changes fro=
m
> 2.0 to 3.0), and found absolutely nothing for the AMD64 port.  WHY??  I
> think even if the changes for the i386 apply to the AMD64, it should be
> noted, and "AMD64" should be present.
> http://www.netbsd.org/Changes/changes-3.0.html and
> http://www.netbsd.org/Changes/changes-4.0.html

That's because there's nothing machine specific that needs to change
for AMD. Go to the general changes, and you'll probably find that
adapter supported. Remember, drivers are mostly machine independent.
That adapter is probably just fairly new.
=20
> Next, I saw that there are changes listed already for NetBSD 4.0.  WHEN I=
S
> 3.0 GOING TO BE RELEASED??  I think some sort of (tentative) schedule sho=
uld
> be posted on the NetBSD web site (right on the front page), and the
> Foundation should be a bit more committed to keeping that schedule.

Refer to other free projects when there is an impending release. It
will be released: When it's released. Why do they need to keep that
schedule? To release something that is ultimately not yet worthy of
release just to meet the schedule? And it's done by people who don't
get paid for it? The reality there is, you can build the release-3
branch yourself (which I have done for my AMD64) in a quite short
period of time and install it and you'll basically be there. And if
you run into a bug, you can open it and feel good about yourself that
you contributed to the release process.

> I've been a huge fan of NetBSD, the OS, since about 1995, but I can
> understand when one asks "Why is Linux so popular?", and it irritates me
> personally.  I would prefer to use NetBSD exclusively, but they're laggin=
g
> in some important areas.

Yeah, but you have also been exposed to some of the absolute garbage
that surrounds Linux too then. If Linux is the right tool for the job,
then use it. If you need all the bells and whistles, it has them. I
know, I use it at work every day (while I sheepishly netboot NetBSD on
some of the hardware while nobody is looking).

> I hope you've not misunderstood my point(s), and this message gets to the
> right NetBSD members, for the good of NetBSD, and especially the AMD64 po=
rt.
> 64-bit workstation/desktop computing is the future!

These are general complaints about totally free projects done by
volunteers. See the Debian project. It's got many of the same
problems.

> Oh, one last thing - are the iso images available from NetBSD for the i38=
6
> port compiled and optimized for the i586 class processors and up?  They
> should be in my opinion (or does it not matter with NetBSD), and that inf=
o
> should also be on the web site.

No. You can build those yourself, right on your AMD64 machine. See
build.sh in /usr/src. In the meantime, the Foundation finds better
uses for the disk space on the server by making 1 i386 cd that covers
everyone.

What I just wrote sounds callous and uncaring, I know. I've been
through this too, waiting for releases. The more I get to know how to
use NetBSD, the more I can find out how to make things work the way I
want. If you spend time with it, it's hard to dispute that it has
merits that other operating systems can't touch. I think if you take
away the bells and whistles and buzz talk that surrounds the computer
world and focus on something that is stable, useable, upgradeable,
compatible, etc, you'll find this is the best thing going, period.
That's a blessing, unfortunately in disguise sometimes by the
unimportant things that surround the computer industry these days.

My opinion only.

If you have problems along the way, ask here. People will help you.

Andy