Subject: Re: DMA beyond end of isa
To: David Brownlee <david@mono.org>
From: Michael Graff <explorer@flame.org>
List: port-i386
Date: 12/26/1995 11:47:25
>PS: I dont _like_ there being an OpenBSD & NetBSD. I dont think having
>    them seperate from FreeBSD is a good thing either. But due to 
>    people and attitudes thats what we've got, and I guess we're stuck
>    with it. I dont have time to run more than one, and OpenBSD 
>    is best for what I want.
>
>		David

The arch dependant portions of the 1542 patch are apparently virtual
to physical mapping and where in the physical space the ISA bus sits.
I don't know how the ISA bridges work on Alpha machines, but if the
port addresses are all the same, adding the machine specific virtual
to physical mapping shouldn't be _that_ hard.  I would do it, but I
don't have an alpha running NetBSD and won't in the near future.

The problem here is that the correct combination of {clue, alpha,
i386, dma-mastering-card} doesn't seem to exist.

#define SOAPBOX 1

I've heard from so many people who run FreeBSD that they expect their
OS to win the ``great war'' of free Unixes eventually.  They expect
Linux to fall to peices since as soon as anyone wants to do something
real with it they have to collect 100 little patches to make it what
FreeBSD is now.

They think that NetBSD is a toy -- supporting outdated arches and only
half supporting the main one:  i386.  They have good reason -- look at
our terriable fpu emulation, the lack of good sound drivers (no stereo
drivers?  Terriable output on my sb16?) and a definite lack of support
for what most people consider crappy hardware.

If more people don't start using NetBSD soon, I fear they will be
correct in their assessment.  This is why I am trying to get a better
installation method for i386, (which should work for others as
well...) startup scripts for everyone who wants them, and am working
with a few others to get package installation tools that don't suck.
And lkm's for major components.  Can't forget those.

#define SOAPBOX 0

--Michael

--
Michael Graff <explorer@flame.org>        NetBSD is the way to go!
PGP key on a key-server near you!         Netshade the world!