Subject: Re: To try or not to try (NetBSD)
To: Idar Tollefsen <Idar.Tollefsen@baerum.kommune.no>
From: Courtney R. Spencer <ctspencer@corp.earthlink.net>
List: port-alpha
Date: 07/27/2001 17:59:26
On Fri Jul 27, 2001 at 03:00:22PM +0200, Idar Tollefsen wrote:
> 
> My biggest concern is whether or not I willbe able to get X running.
> This has so far been my biggest grief with the two other BSDs.
> 

You need the lowdown on Alpha/NetBSD as a workstation?

AU500(21164)- sound works but slightly tinny  
3com 905B and DEC cards work perfectly
X was THE pain.

The first thing that you'll need to do is bootstrap gcc 2.95.3 since PLT errors 
in X were blamed on a linking problem with xfree and the alpha tree of gcc.  
I *only* used this compiler with X and placed it into a special build dir.

After that get the latest XFree86 4.0.2+ sources and edit 
xsrc/xfree/xc/programs/Xserver/Makefile:

<  EXTRA_LOAD_FLAGS = -Wl,-rpath,$(USRLIBDIRPATH) -Wl,-rpath-link,$(BUILDLIBDIR)
---
>  EXTRA_LOAD_FLAGS = -Wl,-Bstatic


Now, Xfree is running solid on an old S3 Virge card.  I can also run
the ELSA Gloria (TI Permedia 2) without PLT errors but after a few
hours the colors in apps begin to fade and "wash" with any movement.

-- 
Courtney