Floppies for ALPHA [Re: cvs commit: src/sys/conf files.alpha src/sys/alpha/conf GENERIC NOTES]

[Wilko Bulte]

On Mon, Jul 21, 2003 at 04:16:19PM -0600, Scott Long wrote:
> Wilko Bulte wrote:
> >On Mon, Jul 21, 2003 at 03:58:46PM -0600, Scott Long wrote:
> >
> >>Wilko Bulte wrote:
> >>
> >>>On Mon, Jul 21, 2003 at 12:15:25PM -0700, Bernd Walter wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>ticso       2003/07/21 12:15:25 PDT
> >>>>
> >>>>FreeBSD src repository
> >>>>
> >>>>Modified files:
> >>>> sys/conf             files.alpha 
> >>>> sys/alpha/conf       GENERIC NOTES 
> >>>>Log:
> >>>>Enable eisa support on alpha.
> >>>>We need eisa bridge support on some models, which now depends on having
> >>>>eisa in the kernel.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Without having checked: what about the bootfloppy?
> >>>
> >>
> >>This is a loosing fight.  While there is still some value in having
> >>floppies for x86, is there really any value in them for Alpha?  My
> >>understanding is that CD-ROMs have been standard on all Alphas for
> >>the past 5-10 years.  Netbooting is an easy alternative for those
> >
> >
> >Correct. On all Alpha's in fact. Even the DEC3000 etc.
> >
> >
> >>without CDs or bandwidth.  We do not do floppies for sparc64 and ia64,
> >>and I would hope/expect that we don't do them for amd64.  I think it's
> >>time to cut them out of Alpha.
> >
> >
> >Absolutely. But everytime we planned on doing that there was uproar.
> >You obviously loose the network install with just a floppy to boot from.
> >But miniinst.iso fills that gap, at least IMHO.
> >
> >W/
> >
> 
> Is there an alternative for those in remote areas that can neither
> download the miniiso nor buy the cd set?  Every time that we talk about
> downloading iso's, the issue comes up of those in eastern-bloc and
> asian countries that have little bandwidth.  Can Alpha do a 'boot-only'
> cd image that is <5MB?

Maybe. But you would need a lot of other stuff to make it useful as
an installed system so why would the size of the boot'kit' be so important?
I mean, you need the rest of the bits downloaded anyway to get a useful
installation.

Wilko

-- 
|   / o / /_  _   		wilko at FreeBSD.org
|/|/ / / /(  (_)  Bulte