Re: What's GENERIC32?

[John Nemeth <jnemeth%cue.bc.ca@localhost>]

On Sep 1, 14:27, Mouse wrote:
} 
} >> This leads me to ask, just what is 32-bit here?  Not what's 32-bit
} >> about the built executable - I can read documentation on the options
} >> used - but what's different about those machines that calls for the
} >> kernel to be built differently like this?
} 
} > The kernel is a 32bit, hardware is 64 bit and userland is sparc
} > instead of sparc64 (so 32bit too).
} 
} If the hardware is 64-bit, why not just use straight sparc64?  What's
} different that makes that fail?

     One possible reason is smaller amounts of maximum memory on
older 64-bit machines.  Another reason that might concern some
people is that there is a known bug in Ultrasparc I processors when
running 64-bit apps that allow any program to crash the system.
The only way to prevent it is to not run 64-bit apps.  This is
reputedly the reason that Solaris only runs in 32-bit modes on
machines with an Ultrasparc I (NetBSD gives the admin the choice).
There could be other reasons, such as performance, etc., why an
admin would choose to run a 64-bit machine in what is essentially
a 32-bit mode.

}-- End of excerpt from Mouse