Chapter 2. NetBSD/mac68k Features
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Chapter 2. NetBSD/mac68k Features

Table of Contents

2.1. Working Systems
2.2. Working hardware
2.2.1. Video Cards
2.2.2. ADB Devices
2.2.3. Network Cards
2.2.4. Accelerator Cards
2.3. Future Enhancements & Wish List
2.3.1. Claimed Projects
2.3.2. Unclaimed Projects/Wish List
2.3.3. How YOU Can Contribute to the Project

2.1. Working Systems

Please see the machine-status document in HTML format:

www.macbsd.com machine-status

2.2. Working hardware

The hardware listed here has been reported to me or one of the mailing lists as working/non-working. There are no guarantees that the information is 100% correct. If we are ever able to get our hands on some of these pieces of hardware for testing we should be able to give more definite answers.

2.2.1. Video Cards

2.2.1.1. Working Video Cards

Note: QuickDraw-compatible cards should work () However, accelerated cards and many 24-bit cards will not.

2.2.1.2. Non-Working Video Cards

2.2.2. ADB Devices

2.2.2.1. Working ADB Devices

2.2.2.2. Non-working ADB devices

NOTE: most of these mice have 1 functioning button, but the second and third might not work.

2.2.3. Network Cards

2.2.3.1. Working Network Cards

Take a look at: macbsd.com

Note: most Ethernet cards based on the 8390 chip should work for most machines. Many SONIC-based cards are now working as well, as is onboard SONIC-based Ethernet for the Quadra-series Macs. MACE-based onboard Ethernet for AV Macs should be supported in NetBSD 1.3 and later.

2.2.3.2. Non-working Network Cards

Take a look at: macbsd.com

Note: it appears that some SONIC cards are still not working, but support for these cards is in the works.

2.2.4. Accelerator Cards

2.2.4.1. Working Accelerator Cards

Note:work is currently being done by Kevin Radke ([email protected]) to get the cache on Daystar accelerators working under NetBSD. He has test kernels available at ftp://cpre1.ee.iastate.edu/pub/netbsd/ .

Note: if NetBSD does not boot on your machine with its Daystar accelerator, try turning off the cache in the control panel.

2.2.4.2. Non-working Accelerator Cards

Note: Current kernels should boot just about any of the Daystar '030 (and probably '040) accelerators. However, two users have had trouble getting an '030 accelerator to work on their Mac II's (which has an '020 by default). Likewise, '030-users have had trouble getting '040 accelerator working with their machines.

2.3. Future Enhancements & Wish List

To get the most up-to-date TODO list, take a look at: http://www.NetBSD.org/ports/mac68k/todo.html

2.3.1. Claimed Projects

Note: the above is a little (ok, a lot) out of date. -Colin

2.3.2. Unclaimed Projects/Wish List

  • IDE support

  • read-only HFS support for Mac OS volumes (More or less done)

  • portable cross-development from other unix's (This too.)

  • binary compatibility with MachTen (?)

  • floppy driver (partial support for DD floppy drives available)

  • AppleTalk/LocalTalk (netatalk port to NetBSD in progress)

  • tape driver(s) (e.g. teac & DAT; probably working)

  • CD-ROM support (has anyone tried mounting A/UX cd-rom?) (This works.)

  • MO support (probably works)

  • 24-bit NuBus video cards (may be working in 1-bit mode w/ 1.0 release)

  • NuBus multi-port serial cards

  • other languages (lisp, prolog, pascal, better assembler/debugger)

  • MIDI driver

  • PAS16 NuBus card (Pro Audio Spectrum 16 sound card)

  • Mac OS emulation

2.3.3. How YOU Can Contribute to the Project

To see the current status of different projects, including unclaimed projects, check out the TODO page: http://www.NetBSD.org/ports/mac68k/todo.html

This page is our "whiteboard" for the mac68k port's status. At this point, there is no telling which will be updated first as new projects are claimed: the TODO page or this documents Claimed/Unclaimed Projects sections. More than likely the TODO page will change first.

If you see a project you would like to work on or assist with, send e-mail describing your interests to [email protected]. You do not have to "register" your effort or anything formal like that, but we do like to keep track of who is doing what. Plus, if we come across any information that is useful to the work you are doing we will pass it along.

We do accept equipment loans, equipment donations, and monetary donations. If you would like to loan or donate equipment, please send e-mail to [email protected] describing what equipment you are willing to part with. We will need to determine which member of the NetBSD/mac68k team can best put the equipment to use. From there we will give you a shipping address. If you donate the hardware, we will make an honest effort to add support for your hardware if that is what you desire. If you don't care what we do with the hardware, we'll put it to the best use possible without necessarily interrupting current project priorities.

This is a list of equipment we would really like to borrow for testing:

  • Machines: Anything other than a Mac II, especially a Quadra, Centris, Powerbook, or Duo. We could use IIx, IIcx, IIci, IIsi, IIvi, IIvx, and SE/30 machines as well (although these machines are pretty well-supported now).

  • Priority for the machines we would like to borrow is currently: Quadras (AV&other), Centrises, PowerBooks, Duos, Performas

  • Other hardware: Any video card plus the monitor if the card is particular to that monitor. ADB devices: trackballs, 3-button mice, Non-Apple mice, etc...

If you are willing to lend us a machine, please make sure it has 8MB RAM and at least 60MB of hard drive space that can be allocated to a BSD partition. 5MB of RAM will do if necessary, but currently it *must have an FPU* to be useful to us.

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