> A few months ago I asked about NetBSD MPC860 and MPC8260 ports.  I never
> got into that project, but the project is alive and well and will probably
> use NetBSD as soon as a port is available.
> 
> Now I'm consulting for another project which is in the stage where you
> need to select hardware, OS, etc. and I'm trying to "sell" MPC860 and
> NetBSD to these people.
> 
> How far is the MPC860 port (or ports, I think there were two porting
> projects going on)?

I have begun a port I call `mpc8xx', based on the `prep' port.  I've learned
to cross-compile all of -current, and I'm presently studying the system
startup and memory management.  I'm just now at the point where I can begin
kernel coding.

How long it will be before I get something running -- now there's a good
question, as other work often interferes.

> What kind of memory configuration is realistic for running NetBSD kernel
> and some smallish daemons on the system (SNMP, BOOTP client, some small
> application software)?  I guess 16 MB of DRAM might be enough, how about
> FLASH?  

I'm not sure.  

The smallest reasonable kernel I've been able to build for the mpc8xx is
about 1.2M (it's non-functional, but the size won't change much).  As for
the rest of the system, I could send you an `ls -lR' output of the
cross-built system and you could pick out the stuff you think you'll need.

> Do you need a disk-like device (like Compact FLASH) or can you
> manage with some FLASH with a compressed kernel and RAM disk image on
> it?

As I understand it, you should be able to build a RAM-disk image into the
kernel which will unpack on startup.  This wouldn't provide any persistent
storage for user settings, however.
 
> What else can you tell me? :-)

My initial port will assume it's running on the Motorola MBX821/860
evaluation board.  This is a nice board with lots of i/o and a ROM monitor
which can even do BOOTP and TFTP via Ethernet for bootstrapping.

Regards,

David Querbach
Real-Time Systems Inc.