SPARC/Linux Meta-FAQ

[Jim Mintha <jim@geog.ubc.ca>]

- added info and an archive of the debiansparc mailing list
- few other mostly minor changes
jim

SPARC/Linux Meta-FAQ
Last Updated: 97/01/24
Send comments/corrections to:
Jim Mintha (mintha@geog.ubc.ca)

This is the Meta-FAQ for the SPARC/Linux project.  It is mainly a list
of pointers to other sources of information, FTP sites, etc.

1. What is SPARC/Linux?

     SPARC/Linux is a port of the Linux operating system to the SPARC
     platform, specifically to Sun SPARCstations.  This is not a "new"
     version of Linux, it is a port that is integrated into the normal
     distribution kernel tree.  The user level interface and most of
     the kernel is still the same.  Only machine-dependent parts of the
     kernel have changed.

     Also - MOST IMPORTANT - this effort is a work-in-progress.  Its
     current status is still beta!  Sure a lot of the time it seems
     more stable than Sun's OS but there are NO GUARANTEES.  There now
     is a ready made distribution, but there are no toll-free support
     lines, or 300 page installation manuals!  If you want to get
     involved you have to expect to work through some problems on your
     own!

2. Where can I find more information about the project?

     The best place to start is the SPARC/Linux WWW Home Page:
      - http://www.geog.ubc.ca/sparclinux.html

     It has:
      - Pointers to the FAQ and HOW-TOs
      - Mailing List info and archives
      - Recent news and announcements
      - List of FTP sites, mirrors, etc.

     Information on the RedHat SPARC/Linux Distribution can be found:
      - http://www.redhat.com/products/rhl-sparc.html

     There are two additional Web site with more information:
      - http://sunsite.mff.cuni.cz/linux/
      - http://linuxwww.db.erau.edu/sparclinux/
     
3. How do I boot Linux on my Sparc?

     Right now the easiest way is to install the RedHat SPARC/Linux
     distribution.  This is a full release of the RedHat distribution
     which you can purchase on CD or install via FTP.  For more
     information see found at:

      - http://www.redhat.com/products/rhl-sparc.html

4. How do I solve problems booting/installing/running SPARC/Linux?

     You should first look at the FAQ:
      - http://www.geog.ubc.ca/sparc/faq.html
     
     For problems booting you can look at the HOWTOs:
      - http://www.geog.ubc.ca/sparc/howto.html

     For problems with the RedHat distribution, there is an errata page:
      - http://www.redhat.com/RedHat-Errata

     That failing join one of the mailing lists and ask for some help.

4. What are the main FTP sites:
 
     RedHat Distribution:
     --------------------

     Main RedHat FTP site: ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/redhat-4.0)

     Some mirrors: (see ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/MIRRORS)
      - ftp://ftp.xtn.net/pub/linux/redhat/redhat-4.0
      - ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/distributions/redhat/redhat-4.0
      - ftp://sunsite.mff.cuni.cz/OS/Linux/Redhat/redhat-4.0
      - ftp://ftp-nog.rutgers.edu/pub/linux/distributions/redhat/redhat-4.0

     SPARC/Linux Development:
     ------------------------

     The main FTP site for the project which has the recent kernel
     snapshots, libc development, and some utilities is:
      - ftp://vger.rutgers.edu/pub/linux/Sparc/

     The Red Hat people have been porting their RPM packages to the sparc.
     These (as well as mirrors if 'vger' and 'sunsite.cz')
     are available at:
      - ftp://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/devel/sparc/RedHat/RPMS/

     Jakub Jelinek has various X11 and Openwin stuff packaged (and a
     lot of other stuff including mirrors of 'vger' and 'redhat'):
      - ftp://sunsite.mff.cuni.cz/OS/Linux/Sparc/

     The latest X11 rpms, libc, dynamic linker and some extra tools
     are available in:
      - ftp://ftp.nuclecu.unam.mx/linux/Sparc-miguel/

     An additional mirror of the first three sites above is:
      - ftp://ftp.geog.ubc.ca/pub/sparclinux

     European Mirror Sites 
      - ftp://sunsite.cnlab-switch.ch/mirror/linux/Sparc (mirror of vger & redhat)
      - ftp://ftp.uni-trier.de/pub/unix/systems/linux/Sparc (mirror of first three)

5. What Mailing Lists are available for the project?

     There are three mailing lists devoted to the SPARC/Linux project:

     sparclinux@vger.rutgers.edu (main mailing list)
     sparc-list@redhat.com (RedHat related issues)
     debian-sparc@lists.debian.org (Debian related issues)

     For information on subscribing see:
      - http://www.geog.ubc.ca/sparc/maillist.html


Jim Mintha (mintha@geog.ubc.ca)    Home: (604) 731-7240  or: 737-6094
Geography System Administrator     Work: (604) 822-2174 Fax: 822-6150
                              Home Page: http://www.geog.ubc.ca/~jim/
>>> SARCAST \'sar-kast\ v.  1. To engage in the art of sarcasm <<<


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