> Is it practical to make a version of NetBSD that boots from the WNT
> ("ARC") console?  I have one of these systems with WNT firmware only
> and I'm willing to help test.

Short answer: no.

Basically, what you need to do is implement the OSF/1 PALcode, do the
configuration goo required by the firmware, etc.

The people working on Linux for the Alpha apparently did it.
However, it probably won't happen for NetBSD/Alpha any time soon,
because:
	(1) it pretty much requires code that Digital has apparently
		made freely-distributable (no problem), but also
		a lot of code in addition to that which would need to
		be written,
	(2) the code, which effectively replaces the firmware, is
		inherently CPU and system board specific,
	(3) logically thinking about it, developing the code would be
		... rather non-trivial, and testing it even harder, and
	(4) Nobody's working on it.  I've been the person who's done
		most of the NetBSD/Alpha development, and it is not
		in my employer's interest to have me work on it.


cgd