Subject: Re: => ELF (heads up)
To: None <port-sparc@netbsd.org>
From: Paul Kranenburg <pk@cs.few.eur.nl>
List: port-sparc
Date: 06/06/1999 12:06:18
NetBSD/sparc has switched to the ELF object format.

Some points to keep in mind when updating your system:

	- there is a full ELF snapshot (including X Windows binaries) at
	  `ftp.netbsd.org:~/pub/NetBSD/arch/sparc/snapshot/19990605.ELF'

	- a.out programs and shared libraries will continue to work.
	  The COMPAT_AOUT kernel option will reduce shared library
	  conflicts by re-targetting file system access to `/emul/aout'.

	- for your enjoyment, the snapshot has a `compat_aout.tgz' set
	  containing the NetBSD/sparc-1.4 system & X11 shared libraries
	  and run-time linker. This set unpacks into `./emul/aout'.

	- you need to upgrade your boot pograms to load ELF kernels
	  (i.e. kernels which are themselves in ELF format). However,
	  any current kernel will run ELF programs just fine, so you
	  have the option to play around with a (partial) ELF userland
	  first.  Remember though to populate `/emul/aout' and building
	  a kernel with COMPAT_AOUT before replacing shared a.out libraries.

	- you should remove `/sbin/ldconfig' after completing the upgrade; 
	  it is not yet done automatically.

	- LKMs cannot be used yet. Work is underway to remedy this.

-pk