XFree86 4.3.0, Latest Binutils Imported In NetBSD

Dan writes "Matthias Scheler has imported XFree86 4.3.0 into NetBSD current, it is only tested under NetBSD-i386 at the moment. Also, as part of updating the toolchain, Matthew Green has imported the latest GNU binutils (2.13.2.1) into NetBSD-current. The new GNU binutils adds support for hppa and x86_64, improved support for existing architectures and is known to work for almost all CPU types NetBSD currently supports. Updates of gdb and gcc will follow."

hppa architecture

[dohcvtec]

The new GNU binutils adds support for hppa...
Call me ignorant, but what exactly does this mean for hppa (officially hp700)? From perusing this page [netbsd.org] it appears that the NetBSD/hp700/hppa port is about as far along as OpenBSD/hppa. Which is to say that installation and booting must be done over the network (I think.) Since I'm not a PA-RISC hacker, just a guy with a couple of PA-RISC boxes who would like to run *BSD on them, how are things looking?

Re:hppa architecture

[Anonymous Coward]

OpenBSD has been actively developing its hppa. A lot of changes have been made the latest month(s). Have you tried it?

Most extreme/bizarre display setup available now?

[jago25_98]

Just out of interest,

what would be seen as the most impressive/rare/interesting XFree hardware setup could we now have with NetBSD?

Re:Most extreme/bizarre display setup available no

[Anonymous Coward]

4 Compaq QVision2000s (Pulled from old Deskpro XL 560s) and an original ATI All-In-Wonder, for 5 monitor support!

Anyone know how to do THIS? :-D

Re:Most extreme/bizarre display setup available no

[Burpmaster]

what would be seen as the most impressive/rare/interesting XFree hardware setup could we now have with NetBSD?

The best thing I can come up with is buying a second keyboard and mouse (both USB), and using my GeForce 4 with dual VGA outputs for two simultaneous users. Then I can have zero-ping multiplayer gaming or set up Windows inside VMware and brag that one *BSD is twice as good as Windows! Yeah, I'm going to do this just as soon as I have FreeBSD set up on my system. I may start to feel the need for a second processor, though.

Re:Most extreme/bizarre display setup available no

[jago25_98]

whaaat? standard arch, monitor? no VR headset and tongue operated keyboard?

Re:Most extreme/bizarre display setup available no

[CoolVibe]

More interesting would be getting some display login manager (of the xdm kind) running twice on two screens, which then handle the two X screens. I've done it with Sunrays (well, the sunray server does a lot, that's probably cheating, but what the hey) and it should be possible with one machine and some XDMCP querying to the local machine per X server 'screen'.

If you do manage to set this up, document it. I'd love to read it and mull over it :)

Re:Zero ping gaming at 10FPS woo hoo!

[cbreaker]

When using dual displays with an nVidia card, Open GL performance is very poor when running GL apps on both screens. It's less then half the performance, as to be expected.

So have fun playing UT2003 at 5FPS - but ZERO PING YAHOO!

Maybe when we see PCI express we could drop two high performance graphics cards into a machine. Until then it's kinda slow sharing a single card.

Re:xfree86 and *bsd deserve each other....

[bsd_usr]

specify the slot used? woah, I've never had to do that before with XFree86. What version are you bitching about?

Re:xfree86 and *bsd deserve each other....

[dotgain]

You don't always have to specify which slot your video card is in, if there is only one. When using xinerama (or X on two displays, without xinerama) you have to specify which slot is connected to which display. This is a Good Thing as far as I'm concerned. Oh, and it's no problem either. If you run X --configure or X --probeonly (I can never remember whether to use one hyphen or two) that information is provided, so you don't have to open your box to remind yourself of the slot number.

You're right, I've never had to do it, except with a (n>1) head configuration.