Hi all,
As usual, an impressively quick response from the list!
The Question;
Has the SUNOS to ALPHA binary translator been released, where can it be
found and is it any good?
Thanks to the following for replying:
Iain McCrone <iain_at_cee.heriot-watt.ac.uk>
"Paul E. Rockwell" <rockwell_at_rch.dec.com>
sherry_at_cps.msu.edu
Jon Reeves <reeves_at_zk3.dec.com>
Chris Glenister <crg_at_cranfield.ac.uk>
Ian Piumarta <piumarta_at_prof.inria.fr>
Larry Church <lchurch_at_postman.ncube.com>
berc_at_pa.dec.com
Rick Beebe <BEEBE%YALEMED.EARN_at_ibm-b.rutherford.ac.uk>
"R.K.Hillman" <R.K.Hillman_at_brighton.ac.uk>
The Answers:
Yes it has been released and is available. Paul Rockwell said:
"FreePort Express (the SunOS to Alpha binary translator) has been available
since August 1. The URL is:
http://fenris.novalink.com/freeport-express
You'll need to access it with a web browser as you will need to fill out
a form with your name, address, etc. That's so we can track who's gotten
the software."
What you get is a Beta version which expires on 1 November 1995. A number
of respondents quoted from the FreePort brochure as follows:
Requirements: (taken from the FreePort brochure)
All alpha processors supported
20MB disk space for installation
12MB for permanent use
FreePort uses a considerable amount of virtual memory, up to 40X the
executable size, during translation
To run the translated program you need the virtual memory required
by the original program plus 2.4X the size of the original program's
text section
Restrictions: (also from the brochure)
A working executable cannot be generated when the original is:
Built for SunOS versions prior to 4.1
Is a driver
Does not run correctly on the native system
Uses extensions to the SPARC instruction set
Is an operating system
Uses SunView windowing
Uses privileged opcodes or system calls (simple SYSCALLS that only
need root privileges are allowed)
Uses system call unsupported on Digital Unix
Reads /dev/mem or /dev/kmem
Relies on the SunOS operating system hierarchy or SunOS file formats
where they differ from Digital Unix hierarchy or formats
Uses registers %07 through %17 to examine the SPARC code stream
Uses Sun-specific local interfaces to control Sun display hardware
FreePort also does not support:
Multiprocessor safe code
Interoperability with Digital Unix system shared libraries
Certain cases of precise exception behavior.
As one respondent says "Now I think DEC is being up front with what will
not work. Of course they have also given themselves an out for just about
everything."
With all the restrictions it will be interesting to see what *does* work
(one respondent said that a 'hello world' program ported OK!). Also,
with the beta version currently available expiring on 1 November and
no indication whether the production version will be free or will cost
(and if so, how much) it is difficult to justify putting serious
effort into evaluating the software IMHO.
Thanks again to all who replied.
Alan Oborne
+==============================================================+
|| Alan Oborne (OBORNE_at_CARDIFF.AC.UK) ||
|| Head of Systems Support, UWCC Computing Service ||
|| Cardiff University ||
|| +44 1222 874394 ||
|| URL:
http://alf.cf.ac.uk/People/oborne.html ||
+==============================================================+
Received on Wed Sep 13 1995 - 12:02:14 NZST