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#use wml::debian::template title="SPARC Port" NOHEADER="yes"
#include "$(ENGLISHDIR)/ports/sparc/menu.inc"
#use wml::debian::translation-check translation="f9d5abd797e762089776545824869e3e44bd2c42" maintainer="galaxico"
<h1>Debian SPARC Port</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="#intro">Overview</a></li>
<li><a href="#status">Current Status</a></li>
<li><a href="#sparc64bit">About 64-bit SPARC support</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#kernelsun4u">Compiling kernels for sun4u</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li><a href="#errata">Errata</a></li>
<li><a href="#who">Who are we? How can I help?</a></li>
<li><a href="#links">Where can I find out more information?</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="intro">Overview</h2>
<p>
These pages are meant to assist users and Debian developers running
Debian GNU/Linux on the SPARC architecture. In these pages, you will
find information about the current status, currently known problems,
information for and about Debian porters, and pointers to more
information.
</p>
<h2 id="status">Current Status</h2>
<p>Support for pre-UltraSPARC machines was dropped with the end of
service life of Debian Etch (see <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/Sparc32">
https://wiki.debian.org/Sparc32</a>).
After that, the 32-bit port required an UltraSPARC CPU and ran a 64-bit kernel.
</p>
<p>
This 32-bit port was eventually dropped with the end of the service
life of Debian Wheezy.
</p>
<p>
Currently, there is no official Debian port for SPARC, but a full 64-bit
SPARC port called sparc64 is supported by the Debian Ports team.
</p>
<h2 id="sparc64bit">About 64-bit SPARC support</h2>
<p>
The Debian SPARC port,
as mentioned above, does support the sun4u (<q>Ultra</q>)
and sun4v (Niagara CPU) architectures.
It uses a 64-bit kernel (compiled with gcc 3.3 or newer), but most of the
applications run in 32-bit. This is also called a <q>32-bit
userland</q>.
</p>
<p>
The Debian SPARC 64 (a.k.a., <q>UltraLinux</q>) porting effort is not
currently conceived as a full porting effort like other ports.
Rather, it is intended to be an <em>add-on</em> to the SPARC Port.
</p>
<p>
In fact, there is really no point in having all applications running
in 64-bit mode. Full 64-bit mode involves a significant overhead
(memory and disk size) with often no benefit. Some applications
really can benefit from being in 64-bit mode, and that is the purpose
of this porting effort.
</p>
<h3 id="kernelsun4u">Compiling kernels for sun4u</h3>
<p>
To compile a Linux kernel for Sun4u, you'll need to use the Linux 2.2
or newer source tree.
</p>
<p>
We highly suggest you also use the <tt>kernel-package</tt> package to
help with the installation and management of kernels. You can compile
a configured kernel in one command (as root):
</p>
<pre>
make-kpkg --subarch=sun4u --arch_in_name --revision=custom.1 kernel_image
</pre>
<h2 id="errata">Errata</h2>
<p>
Some of the common problems with fixes or workarounds can be found on our
<a href="problems">Errata page</a>.
</p>
<h2 id="who">Who are we? How can I help?</h2>
<p>
The Debian SPARC port is a distributed effort, just as Debian is.
Countless people have helped with the porting and documentation
efforts, although a short list of <a href="credits">credits</a> are
available.
</p>
<p>
If you'd like to help, please
join in the <debian-sparc@lists.debian.org> mailing list as
<a href="#links">described below</a>, and chime in.
</p>
<p>
Registered developers who would like to actively port and upload
ported packages should read the porter guidelines in the <a href="$(DOC)/developers-reference/">Developers
Reference</a>, and see the <a href="porting">SPARC porting page</a>.
</p>
<h2 id="links">Where can I find out more information?</h2>
<p>
A Debian Wiki page is dedicated about <a href="https://wiki.debian.org/Sparc64">Debian Sparc64 port</a>.
</p>
<p>
The best place to ask Debian-specific questions about the SPARC port
is on the mailing list, <a href="https://lists.debian.org/debian-sparc/">\
<debian-sparc@lists.debian.org></a>.
Mailing list <a
href="https://lists.debian.org/debian-sparc/">archives</a> are
browsable on the web.
</p>
<p>
To subscribe to the list, send a mail to
<a href="mailto:debian-sparc-request@lists.debian.org">\
debian-sparc-request@lists.debian.org</a>, with the word `subscribe'
in the subject line, and no body. Alternatively, subscribe on the web
with the <a href="https://lists.debian.org/debian-sparc/">Mailing List
subscription</a> page.
</p>
<p>
Kernel questions should be addressed to the list
<sparclinux@vger.rutgers.edu>. Subscribe by sending a message
with body <q>subscribe sparclinux</q> to the address <a
href="mailto:majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu">majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu</a>.
There is also a Red Hat list, of course.
</p>
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