[ This is getting somewhat off the port-mac68k topics.  Take a look at
  the info pointed to by http://puma.bevd.blacksburg.va.us/openmac for
  details on the PPCP (CHRP). ]

> The first line of PowerMacs aren't, but I thought Apple was moving to 
> PReP compliance with the PCI macs.

Not really.  They moved toward more open systems, but did not go directly
toward PReP.  Apple basically thumbed its nose at PReP--later agreeing
to another reference platform that was called CHRP and has now been
named PPCP.  There were, I'm sure political reasons for not supporting
PReP and then supporting CHRP.  I don't know anything about what went on
behind the scenes.  I have guesses, but I won't voice them because they
have no founding.

Anyway, CHRP/PPCP is the new version of PReP.  PPCP machines are PReP
compliant, but not vice-versa, if I understand it right (I haven't had
time to look too carefully).

The PCI PowerMacs are definitely already on the road to PPCP.  They have
OpenFirmware, PCI, and a lot of the I/O that will probably turn out to
be quite similar to the Mac I/O chip in the PPCP.  But, there are still
a number of holes.

> Anyway, once it's running on a PReP system... heck, even getting it 
> running on an RS/6000... it would probably only be a matter of driver 
> patches to full compatibility.  Something tells me that once the quadras 
> start working, the PowerMacs will miraculously and mysteriously start 
> running NetBSD in emulation mode.

False.  The PowerMacs will never run NetBSD in emulation mode unless
NetBSD is ported to run under the MacOS as MachTen does.  I don't think
anyone's planning on doing that...  There are a lot of differences that
can make the port more than just "driver patches."  Take a look at the
HP300/Sun3/Atari/Amiga/Mac68k/MVME147 differences.  They're all the same
processor--even sharing some of the same devices, but they're definitely
different ports.

Different I/O requirements and ROM/memory/system architectures are
probably the most visible of the roadblocks...

> Also the booter code might have to be patched to throw 
> the machine into native mode just before booting.

Actually, I have no idea what the booter will look like for PowerPCs.
Doesn't the MacOS run in protected mode all the time on the PPC
machines?  That would make it rather difficult to do some of the things
that the booter needs to do.

I plan to boot the PowerMac 8500 from OpenFirmware....

-allen

-- 
Allen Briggs - end killing - allen.briggs@bev.net ** MacBSD == NetBSD/mac68k **
   Where does all my time go?  <a href="http://www.netbsd.org/">Guess.</a>