Subject: Re: NetBSD/next (was: Re: NeXTBSD - 4.4BSD for NeXTstep machines)
To: David W. Rankin Jr. <rankin@ewl.uky.edu>
From: Christian Kuhtz <chk@psisa.com>
List: netbsd-ports
Date: 02/09/1996 14:03:26
David W. Rankin Jr. wrote:

> Given how much the m68k ports have in common, this IMHO is the right
> way to go. I'd suspect we could piece together a pretty decent
> port.  

Isn't that why we're doing it in the first place? :)

> I can provide an ftp site for mirroring for right now,
> unfortunately I can't do cvs for a tree (since I'll be at a new
> job soon *crosses fingers*, with no easy net access left). 

IMHO, we should be able to put it on ftp.netbsd.org... Comments?

> Also, I've
> set up a mailing list, netbsd-next@ewl.uky.edu, if it'd be more
> convenient to move the discussion off netbsd-ports. [Send "subscribe
> netbsd-next" as the body to majordomo@ewl.uky.edu to subscribe.]

I already requested ports-next already, which will be created on Monday as
a private mailing list (private in the sense that we probably don't want
the general public on this list, but everybody wanting/willing to contribute
to the port is more than welcome on it; Monday because the pain's SA is 
overseas right now)

> Now who wants to be port-master? :)

I'll do it.

> > > I'm currently looking at ripping some of the Plan9 pieces out and
> > > recycling them for NetBSD/next.  Or at least intelligently learning
> > > from Plan9.  (Plan9 has been ported to the NeXT platform and the also
> > > support the mono graphics).
> 
> > Plan9 source is available free?  Where?

It is not. But the fact that it isn't free doesn't mean I can't go, look
at it, find out where the hardware sits and how it'd like to be treated
and then go and write my own code. Or, for the lawyers sake, write a 
technical documentation of it and have someone else implement it.
(Since I saw the code etc etc). Then again, if that other person goes
and happens to write the code the exact same way as Plan9, we probably
have a slight problem anyway. Plan9 is only intended as a last resort.
One of the things I intend to do is contact the Plan9 group and ask
them where they got their info from. Actually, query is already out,
just hasn't been answered yet.

> Unless I am seriously mistaken, plan9 _isn't_ "free", which means we
> need to be careful about "ripping" anything. Of course, intelligent
> learning is an excellent idea on its own... (If plan9 is in fact free,
> then I'd LOVE to find that out too. A plan9 port to the Macs would
> work... ;)

No, Plan9 is indeed -as far as most parts are concerned - not free. And 
as I had said above, all I wanted to have is a look at their drivers for 
certain NeXT hardware components -- in case we can't find out how things 
work ourselves -- and then reinvent them.

PS: Just found out that my '040 cube with the 3x '030's works beautifully 
:).. Gotta love that... I just wish there was a slot left for a ND.

Regards,
Chris

--___  ____ __ 
 | _ \/ __/|  \   Christian Kuhtz, Pencom Systems Administration Group
 |  _/\__ \| \ \  <chk@psa.pencom.com>                  (303) 924-0510
 |_|  /___/|_|__\ on-site at IBM Government Systems, Boulder, Colorado