Hello

[Daniel Engstrom]

Hello, All!

I have just subscribed to this list. Would anybody be kind and sum up
the discussion this far?

Regards, Daniel
--

[Simon Richter]

Daniel Engstrom wrote:
> I have just subscribed to this list. Would anybody be kind and sum up
> the discussion this far?

Okay, a quick summary of what has happened on the list since I
subscribed:

Ideas on how to get started:
 - Stefan Reinauer:
  + port OpenFirmware
  + port MILO (Linux/Alpha boot loader w/ full BIOS functionality)
 - me:
  + remove the BIOS querying code from the linux kernel.

Code that might be useful:
 - Stephen Williams:
  + PCI scanning code for the i960Rx chipset
  + multithreading
  + compiler (?)
  + TCL interpreter

Technical issues:
 - 16 bit code:
  + Stefan Reinauer: No, since we do not have enough free space in the
flashable area.
  + me: Wrapper functions which may be linked at compile time.
 - language:
  + Stefan: C, ASM where required
 - testing platforms:
  + Stefan has tried to boot Bochs, which runs fine on his Alpha, but he
expects
     problems with the PnP and PCI init code.
  + I have two or three testing mainboards here, but for neither of them
I have the correct
     power supply... :-(
 - Karl Erik Asbjørnsen thinks that you should be able to load another
BIOS from
    harddisk.

On 12 Oct, Simon Richter wrote:
> Daniel Engstrom wrote:
> > I have just subscribed to this list. Would anybody be kind and sum up
> > the discussion this far?
>
> Okay, a quick summary of what has happened on the list since I
> subscribed:

Ok, thanks, I was starting to give up on receiving a reply.

Here is what I thought:
A free Open Firmware implementation that runs on my PC would be utterly
cool and the Right Thing To Do <tm>.

Having a open source firmware code base would also make life easier for
people who make their own embedded boards.

The boring part is that I believe the Open Firmware specs cost money.

In order to to this one fist should get the specs (anyone here who has
them?) And then make an architecture addendum for the i386 and submit
it to the Open Firmware folks. (Las time I checked their web site there
were none for the i386, the web site is unresponsive at the moment.)

I also think that providing legacy OS support though loading a
traditional BIOS from disk is the way to go.

Is there anyone who have stated on any i386 bootstrap code?

/Daniel

[Stefan Reinauer]

Hi...

On Tue, 13 Oct 1998 [e-mail] wrote:
> Here is what I thought:
> A free Open Firmware implementation that runs on my PC would be utterly
> cool and the Right Thing To Do <tm>.

This is generally correct I would say. But what could/should be discussed
is whether we should really implement what is IEEE Std 1275-1994
(Official Name of Sun's OpenFirmware). I am a bit in fear that we might
get problems implementing a forth interpreter in 128k together with the
whole stuff we need to get a machine running. (This may be because I am
not familiar with Forth, though) :)

What I would like to see as a result of this project is a slim-but-mighty
solution. I really don't know whether this is practicable with IEEE
1275-1994.
> Having a open source firmware code base would also make life easier for
> people who make their own embedded boards.

True. this would again be an arguement for implementing the IEEE version.
Afaik they have general drivers to access OpenFirmware supported hardware
in Net- or OpenBSD.
> The boring part is that I believe the Open Firmware specs cost money.

They are available as a book. I ordered it today :-)
It's ISBN Number 1-55937-426-8 IEEE Std 1275-1994: IEEE Standard for Boot
Firmware.
> In order to to this one fist should get the specs (anyone here who has
> them?) And then make an architecture addendum for the i386 and submit
> it to the Open Firmware folks. (Las time I checked their web site there
> were none for the i386, the web site is unresponsive at the moment.)

I found http://playground.sun.com/1275/home.html
which might be interesting as a starting point, but I haven't had a closer
look at it.
> I also think that providing legacy OS support though loading a
> traditional BIOS from disk is the way to go.

Yes. fully true.

Stefan.