Re: Documentation (Was Re: FW: Slink kernel compilation)
On Sun, 16 Jan 2000, Martin Lucina wrote:
> rdp@talisman.alphalinux.org said:
>
> > OK, so what's missing from the documentation? I'm currently the SRM Howto
> > maintainer and I'd be more than happy to improve the info on using aboot.
>
> As I see it the best thing we can do is integrate the AlphaLinux {FAQ,
> HOWTO}, SRM & MILO HOWTOs and other assorted documentation into one
> authoritative document, put it on alphalinux.org and advertise that it
> supercedes all of the above.
Well, there's already guys working on updating the official FAQ. The plan
is to remove all the platform information (noname, Miata etc...) and put
that into the alphalinux.org docs section. Then turn the FAQ into a real
FAQ (Why does my console output M>M>M>M>M> ?) things like that.
> Wrt to the above, here is what I think is currently missing, based on what
> I can see on alphalinux.org:
>
> 0. General explanation of Alpha architecture; supported platforms.
>
> This exists but is often out of date. (eg. nothing about EV6/7, we still
> claim to support only 8bpp TGA and so on)
Right, this is in the Alpha HOWTO which is horribly out of date, but is on
my list to get updated. I've never really understood the point of the
Alpha HOWTO, as it isn't a HOWTO at all, but rather just information about
Alpha. That document could easily be destroyed and the information moved
elsewhere.
> 1. General explanation of Alpha boot process.
>
> SRM/aboot vs. SRM/MILO vs. ARC/AlphaBIOS/MILO.
OK.
> Where to get current releases of aboot and MILO for those that need
> them.
Yup, makes sense. We actually need an official aboot maintainer, as at the
moment the distributions are patching it but I'm not sure everything is
getting passed around (Ex: SuSE has added initrd support, now the source
is available but there's no official aboot).
> How to layout a disk when installing for any of the above three boot
> combinations. BSD vs. PC partitioning. Which platforms support what
> partitioning (matrix).
Some guidelines would be
good....as for which platforms support which...the only limitation is
those that only have AlphaBIOS/ARC (XL233,XL266,XL300 etc... UX -ARCS
BIOS).
> 2. Rolling your own kernel.
>
> Supported versions. Where to get patches for 2.0.x.
2.0.x, Yikes! alphalinux.org does have a kernel section:
http://www.alphalinux.org/kernel
that tries to document some of this stuff. However we've focused on 2.2.x
not 2.0.x
> Common problems.
>
> Anyone care to add to this list? I think I have listed the most pressing
> issues.
>
> I can work on some of this and will be happy to (co-)maintain the resulting
> document.
Sounds good.
> > Yeah, OK, I can see that one. However going with SRM does give you other
> > benefits (usually more up to date PALcode etc...).
>
> More up to date PALcode doesn't affect most people though.
Well, I was using that as an example. You also get network booting,
quicker boot process (I think), a maintained firmware...etc..
--rdp
> --
> Martin Lucina http://www.kotelna.sk/mato/ Wellington, New Zealand
> I've always been mad I know I've been mad like the most of us are
> Pretty hard to explain why you're a madman even if you're not mad
>
Rich Payne
rpayne@alphalinux.org www.alphalinux.org
Reply to: