Cheap PPC Linux Machines From IBM

[CodeSmith]

@IAABP:

I think he means OS4 motherboard drivers (like Windows has Intel and VIA motherboard drivers that come on a CD with the motherboard).  On an OS that has a HAL (like Windows NT and AmigaOS, dunno about MOS, probably does) the motherboard is just another "device" for which you write drivers.

[CodeSmith]

@bloodline:

Although OF is a pretty good idea, you're a bit limited in the gfx cards that you can use (ie "Mac" gfx cards), and they are usually more expensive.  It might be a good idea to add a UBoot driver to AROS, so you can have both.  With UBoot you can use cheap "PC" gfx cards (it's got a built-in x86 emulator so the card's BIOS can run on that).  Since it's on SourceForge (or if not, should be by the time AOS4 is released), it should not be too difficult to find out what you need.

[CodeSmith]

The voodoo3 works because 3DFX were a really great company and provided all sorts of info needed to write a complete driver.  ATI is like that too (hence the OS4 Radeon drivers from Forefront and the MOS drivers you're using), but there are many other companies (nVidia comes to mind) that refuse to hand out hardware documentation unless you promise them loads of cash first.  For those cards you need to be able to run the routines in their BIOS.

[CodeSmith]

@Floyd:

I thought IBM were going to use Marvell and Articia chips?  :-?

[CodeSmith]

OK look, I don't want to turn this into a pissing contest.  I suggested that they add UBoot support (NOT remove OpenFirmware).  If you believe that we only need one of anything, let me introduce you to one Mr Bill Gates, he also believe this.  He's being very succesful implementing it too, at present rate there won't be anything but Wintel boxes in a couple of years.  That should make you happy, there will only be one type of computer, running one type of OS on one type of firmware.  Choice sucks, doesn't it?