Re: NetBSD1.2 installation adventure

[Greg Oster <oster%cs.usask.ca@localhost>]

On Wed, 16 Oct 1996, Bernd Ernesti wrote:

> > does it work in Zorro III mode?
> 
> The console works, X11 not. BUT you get the same answer if you read the
> readme for X11R6.1
> 
> Bernd

and then:

markus%tiger.teuto.de@localhost writes:
> Stephan Quitzsch wrote:
> > Will this be fixed someday?
> 
>  Yes, it will be fixed, when _you_ start to help and program.

Where might he find the source so he could do this?  In fact, where might 
interested parties find sources for the old X11R5 server for the Retina Z2 
so they might begin building an X11R6.1 server for the Z2?  Or perhaps the 
sources for the X11R6.1 servers for all the other graphics cards?   

It's rather hard to volunteer to fix something when you can't see the sources.
You can't even begin to estimate how difficult it will be solve a particular 
problem, or whether you have enough expertise to tackle it.  The response 
above indicates that Stephan should write his own X11 server for the Merlin II 
in ZIII mode.  That's just plain silly, given the tremendous effort Bernd (or 
whoever) has put into the Merlin server, and how much easier it would be to 
build upon that work.

(We've been here some time ago.  Bernd probably has his own reasons for not 
releasing the X server sources, and what he does with the source is entirely 
up to him (they are his, after all).  That being said, further development and 
fixes to the current X servers will only occur as Bernd sees fit, or until 
someone else writes their own server and releases the code. :-( )

(Sorry for the ranting...  If I've missed something here (like the release of 
the X server sources) please correct me...)

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming, already in 
progress...

Later...

Greg Oster

oster%cs.usask.ca@localhost
Department of Computer Science
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CANADA