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List:       openbsd-sparc
Subject:    OT Re: Serial Console
From:       Chuck <chuck () snew ! com>
Date:       2000-12-15 7:41:14
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Quoting Robert Mooney (rjmooney@atl.mediaone.net):
> How do you figure?  I was wondering what made the SPARC successful today, no
> joke.  For instance, why run OpenBSD on a SPARC, instead of some x86 box?
> Assuming no stability/feature loss between them, OS wise...

Um, mature BIOS (eg. not a BIOS designed to make DOS work, but a
boot PROM that understands networks).
Built in SCSI, built in Ethernet.  Ability to run in a
datacenter - remotely managed - from the start.
Type "boot net" and the bios prompt on a PC (bios prompt?).

Consistent quality not cheapest possible components for low cost.


Frankly, usually more solid hardware.  I'm regularly stunned at the
POS power supplies and ventilation that comes in a lot of PCs.

The New Ultra Sparc 3's look pretty good. I've always liked the
major Alpha servers.  Monsterous IO that's not cheap.  Crossbar
switches for IO busses are standard on high end Suns and SGIs.

I'd rather run a slower processor with better RAM access than a
1.5GHz Pentium 4 over a slow system bus - I'll get more done.

Overall tho, a lot of Sun stuff has disappointed compared to GOOD
PC stuff.  But Good PC stuff is hard to find.  For basic tasks, no
qualms running a good, (serial aware bios) intel type box.  I'm
more impressed with some of the Macs and OpenBoot firmware.  At the
high end though, I wouldn't ponder a 4 or more processor Intel box.

The list goes on.

>> From: owner-sparc@openbsd.org [mailto:owner-sparc@openbsd.org]On Behalf Of Artur Grabowski
[...]
>> Disconnect the keyboard. Attach a serial console. Enjoy.
>> sparcs are real computers.

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