Jeremy C. McDermond wrote:
> Their PC Division simultaneously released their Model 580's - they're
> also a PPC 604 based PCI bus box.  Standard features are:
> 	540 Mb IDE drive
> 	Built in Ethernet 
> 	Built in 1280x1024 graphics adapter
> 	Built in sound
> 	16 Mb memory

 A all-in-one box?  Yucc.  I have seen and used the FirePower Systems, and
still dislike the all-in-one idea of both, IBM's big- and sandalfoot as
well as FirePower ES Series.  If the new IBM is similar to the older boxes,
I will probably stick to original Motorola boards - Baby AT standard sized
motherboard with nothing onboard, you only need to get you beloved PCI VGA,
Ethernet, whatever plugged into the board, thats it.

> Basically the only thing you have to do is add monitor.  These specs are
> off the top of my head - see http://www.ibm.com  for more exact info.
> List price on these beasts are $2750, which isn't bad all things
> considered
> cut throat resellers will be selling them for cheaper.  I've considered 
> getting one myself - but - well - even $2750 is a little spendy for me.

 That's why I want a naked bareboned motherboard...  I dont need sound or
cheap VGA (they are tricking you anyway, most part of the VGA is done by
the CPU..).

> >I'm still trying to find a cheaper PREP or CHRP based box with PCI/ISA
> >busses the IBM 40P series is not priced for my pocket - I heard of a
> cheap
> >Tatung clone though... keep my ear to the ground.

 Tatung? Interesting. Canon seems to be involved, too.

 But now, let us speak about a port of NetBSD to PPC.  Most PowerPC have a
common base, the forth-interpreter which is resoponsible for the PCI
drivers and such.  So all we really need is to interfere with this
interface to make a common base available for all of these boxes - not just
on of them.

-- 
Markus Illenseer