Cheap PPC Linux Machines From IBM

[mschulz]

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.

Of course you are mistaken. First of all, there is no need to use framebuffer (or even textmode) console in order to boot machine. You may initialize gfx card later on by OS itself.

Secondly many OF intefaced do provide real mode X86 emulation. It is for example true on my PReP machine: Motorola Powerstack.

Surely gfx support (either through build in p-code drivers or through x86 emulator) is nice-to-have feature, as you can use then initialized framebuffer screen and provide generic gfx driver, it's not needed.

BTW.  Thanks to OF interface, the same AROS image is able (in theory) to boot from NewWorld CHRP Mac's, IBM PReP machines, Motorola PReP machines and Pegasos. Is then really UBoot better solution for AROS?

[mschulz]

OK look, I don't want to turn this into a pissing contest.

Me neither. I hate quarrels and wars within such a small community. What I was going to tell is that AROS does support OF interface currently and I find it sufficient. OF is also an open standard (therefore the Bill G. issue makes no sence, think rather about boom of IBM PC clones).

Of course I would love to add UBoot support simply to be able to launch AROS on machines like AmigaOne. Unfortunatelly I do not have any access to this platform and I will not write anything blindly with hope that it might work somewhere. If any AROS developer will be able to provide UBoot support, belive me that we will implement it.  :-)

[mschulz]

All other drivers in Linux (and X) depend on the card being set up by the BIOS. This is the problem.

But it doesn't have to: Scitech X86 Emulator
 :-)