Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

warddr · 2013-02-06 04:18:57

Hello all,

I just got my hands on some sparc servers and I'd love to put arch linux on there.
I found a wiki-page about SPARCH, but the last real edit is over 2 years ago, and the repository is down.

Is anyone still interested in this / working on this?

Ward

drcouzelis · 2013-02-06 04:28:09

Wow, I didn't even know there ever was an Arch Linux SPARC!

I'm no authority on the subject, but despite loving Arch Linux, it may be worth it to your sanity to use an operating system that is designed for SPARC processors, such as NetBSD.

the sad clown · 2013-02-06 04:29:52

What about Gentoo?

drcouzelis · 2013-02-06 04:43:02

the sad clown wrote:

What about Gentoo?

Oh, I see. I did a search on distrowatch for SPARC32. There seems to be many more options for SPARC64.

warddr · 2013-02-07 05:17:15

There are a couple of distro's running on sparc, that's why I'd find it interesting to be able to run arch linux on there as well.

Jyri-poika · 2013-04-05 08:16:34

Hi there, warddr and everywone!

Great timing with your message!

As it happens, I just got few Sun Fire V240's and would very much like to be able to run Arch Linux in them.

It's a lot of work of course, but if you're interested warddr and if we can put together a little team, then I'm definitely willing to support this project any way I can.

Got a bunch of ideas regarding fine-tuning Arch for servers, and this would provide an excellent opportunity to see if some of those could be implemented as well.

Take care everyone, and please write me if you're interested! You can reach me at jyri (ät) archlinux (punkt) fi

Last edited by Jyri-poika (2013-04-05 08:18:48)

Jyri-poika · 2013-04-05 09:37:25

Just found out that the SPARC repositories mentioned at https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/SPArch are not available anymore.

If any SPARC enthusiast out here would happen to have a mirror of the material, it would be very useful right now!

Jyri-poika · 2013-04-05 09:45:06

Jyri-poika wrote:

Just found out that the SPARC repositories mentioned at https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/SPArch are not available anymore.
If any SPARC enthusiast out here would happen to have a mirror of the material, it would be very useful right now!

I just wrote Dave asking if he could provide the material as a basis for upcoming SPArch efforts.

warddr · 2013-04-07 11:58:12

Jyri-poika wrote:

I just wrote Dave asking if he could provide the material as a basis for upcoming SPArch efforts.

I hope you get a positive response to that, I still have the sparc servers laying around, waiting for that (now running debian).

Jyri-poika · 2013-04-14 09:55:06

Ok, so Dave replied.

It's been a while since he worked with the SPARC version, and can't find the files anymore.

However, he does have some very useful basic information regarding what the basic problems with the porting process were, the framework he used (Cross-LFS; http://trac.cross-lfs.org/) and so on. Dave also mentioned, it was far faster to do the compiling on his x86 desktop than the actual SPARC box.

I'm highly motivated in getting something done about porting Arch to SPARC. Haven't done anything quite like this before, but that's not a problem. Lack of time might be though, which is why I'm hereby announcing I'm looking for volunteers to participate in a group effort to get the porting moving along and fully available to the public as soon as possible.

What I can offer is this:

- Server space from a fast x86_64 Sun Blade (running Arch) to host repositories and possibly do some compiling as well; 1 gbit uplink

- A Sun Fire V240 with 2 CPUs (1.5 GHz if I remember right) and 4 GB RAM for compiling / testing

- A plan, lots of ideas, an open mind and skills in areas such as design & co-operation

I would love to get involved in the actual porting myself as well, but as things look at the moment, I will only have the chance to do so occasionally and for short periods of time.

I can and very much wish to participate in designing the whole process though, and the first couple of people I feel the project needs would be designers / project leaders as well. Someone(s) with previous experience in porting any OS to any new architecture would be useful to say the least.

I'm also seriously thinking about kind of combining OpenBSD and / or DragonFly BSD with some parts of Arch. Can't really say which would be the dominating "gene" but Pacman and the rolling release approach are one of the key points of the whole thing. I used OpenBSD for years and loved it for its security and stability, but keeping it up to date and clean (no old libraries around etc.) means you will have to re-install it once a year. I got so tired of that I could simply not go on, and after lots of research ended up with Arch - which I love, apart from the fact that some things keep changing so radically that it's easy to drop out of the smooth upgrade track and get your otherwise super-stable server messed up.

So, this secondary plan of mine has to do with taking the best parts of OpenBSD, DragonFly and Arch, and putting it all together in a way that provides a super-stable, secure and KISS distribution heavily targeted at the server scene, possibly being available as 64-bit only. If it's based on Linux kernel then it will have things such as GRSecurity installed and on by default. Server software packages designed to be chrooted (or at least providing a chrooted version) whenever possible, and so on. Clear, unified way of how the system is configured and how the init works - this is where I'm thinking about the Arch way again. I am leaning towards using the OpenBSD kernel but importing lots of stuff from Arch / Linux.

If anyone's interested in either of these little projects, please pm or e-mail me at jyri (ät) archlinux (punkt) fi

senorsmile · 2013-06-02 01:27:58

Your secondary plan sounds genius(i.e. openbsd/dragonflybsd combined with rolling/kiss nature of arch)! I had ambitions of resurrecting that archServer project right before I got my new job and simply don't have the time to commit to doing anything substantial. But I would certainly be able to do testing and assist with documentation if you get your project up and running.

Arch Linux

#1 2013-02-06 04:18:57

Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#2 2013-02-06 04:28:09

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#3 2013-02-06 04:29:52

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#4 2013-02-06 04:43:02

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#5 2013-02-07 05:17:15

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#6 2013-04-05 08:16:34

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#7 2013-04-05 09:37:25

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#8 2013-04-05 09:45:06

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#9 2013-04-07 11:58:12

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#10 2013-04-14 09:55:06

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

#11 2013-06-02 01:27:58

Re: Arch linux for SPARC, is there still any activity?

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