>
>assuming pmax is now using the new toolchain (which I believe it is),
>elf2ecoff is obsoleted by objcopy.

Not really. Please dont say this unless you have tried replacing
elf2ecoff with objcopy, *and* tested the results on the full range of
pmax boot proms, and verified that objcoy on kernels are indeed
net-bootable by PMAX boot PROMs.

Several versions of PMAX boot proms had rather lazy ECOFF parsers:
they'd work with the output from the Third Eye toolchain (mipsco)
but not with the output of objcopy. (it's been several years, but 
iirc, there were restrictions both on the order of ECOFF segments of the
kernel -- which is in the top half of the 32-bit address space --
were laid out.)

I once discussed the requirements of the pmax boot proms with the
(then) binutils maintainer; Ian said that he saw no reason for objcopy
to ever support those particular constraints.

If, OTOH, someone has run the tests and the latest objcopy really does
produce netbootable pmax kernels, on the list of PROM vbrsions we
support (as kept by Simon Burge, iirc) -- then fine, do away with it.
All three familiues of PROM image -- 3100/5100), the 3MAX (5000/200)
and the ioasic machines, all need to be tested, since they're pretty
different inside.