This in many ways is a non-sequitor, but... I have found
that the linux alpha binaries and the NetBSD alpha binaries
do not seem to have any differentiating marks. If you run
one on the wrong architecture, it dies horribly (missing
library, or seg fault, or what have you.) There is no way
that I have found to identify that a binary belongs to a 
particular os. Is there actually some magic that isn't in
the proper file to identify the proper architecture? If not
there should be some way of having the shared libs identify
themselves or something... 

The only reason I mention this, is that some day in the future,
perhaps there will be an alpha linux compatibility, like there
is with i386. It would be nice to be able to determine what
needs to be done with a particular binary or just refuse to 
try executing it in the first place.

If I've missed something, just say so, and point it out.

-- 
Joseph Sarkes                   mailto:joe@mediaone.net