From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

Recently I was looking into the idea of Slackware on RISC-V and came
across BonSlack, a third-party port of Slackware to a number of
different hardware architectures, including RISC-V, PowerPC, ARMv5,
SPARC, MIPS, and even PA-RISC !!!

https://bonslack.org

One architecture was missing though: Itanium.
This didn't surprise me since Itanium is no longer supported by the
mainline kernel, and was dropped from GCC (though that decision
was apparently reversed for GCC 15). However, as I soon found out,
Itanium support still existed through a fork of the kernel that patched
in all the necessary IA64 support. The only major distro that still
supports Itanium is T2 SDE, which spearheaded the continued support of
Itanium. Looking into it, I thought it would be cool if someone would be
able to port Slackware to Itanium, and lo and behold, such a port
exists!!!

https://epic-slack.org

It would appear from looking at the distribution tree for EPIC Slack,
that all graphical applications are removed (presumably due to the
immense work needed to get such programs to run).

For anyone wondering why I made this random Usenet post talking about a
port of Slackware to Itanium, I just figured I'd get the word out about
it and see what the newsgroup's opinions on the whole thing are. I for
one think it's really cool that someone out there is helping to keep
this old hardware alive, staying used, and out of a landfill (or several
miles below sea level in the case of good ol "Itanic" ;) )

Let me know your thoughts on it.
--
I didn't choose the Slackware life.
Oh wait, that's a big fat lie.
But the Slackware life also chose me :)
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

On Sun, 30 Mar 2025 01:38:37 -0000 (UTC), TronNerd82 wrote:

Recently I was looking into the idea of Slackware on RISC-V and came
across BonSlack, a third-party port of Slackware to a number of
different hardware architectures, including RISC-V, PowerPC, ARMv5,
SPARC, MIPS, and even PA-RISC !!!

https://bonslack.org

Too bad my Powermac G5 dies years and years ago~

https://epic-slack.org

It would appear from looking at the distribution tree for EPIC Slack,
that all graphical applications are removed (presumably due to the
immense work needed to get such programs to run).

If I still had any old hardware this would be spiffy. I wonder if I can
still find some old Itanium server hardware. I can then run my gopher
server on it!

-kb
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

On 2025-03-30, TronNerd82 wrote:

https://bonslack.org

Ah well ... their port to DEC Alpha appears to be a lot more complete
than my own, circa twenty years ago ever got to be ... :-/
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sylvain Robitaille syl@therockgarden.ca ----------------------------------------------------------------------
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.os.linux.slackware

On 2025-04-01, King Beowulf <KingBeowulf@none.none> wrote:

On Sun, 30 Mar 2025 01:38:37 -0000 (UTC), TronNerd82 wrote:

Recently I was looking into the idea of Slackware on RISC-V and came
across BonSlack, a third-party port of Slackware to a number of
different hardware architectures, including RISC-V, PowerPC, ARMv5,
SPARC, MIPS, and even PA-RISC !!!

https://bonslack.org

Too bad my Powermac G5 dies years and years ago~

R.I.P. your PowerMac. Such good machines. Back when Apple actually knew
how to make a decent computer. Hope you can find another one for a good
price :)

https://epic-slack.org

It would appear from looking at the distribution tree for EPIC Slack,
that all graphical applications are removed (presumably due to the
immense work needed to get such programs to run).

If I still had any old hardware this would be spiffy. I wonder if I can still find some old Itanium server hardware. I can then run my gopher server on it!

-kb

I recently looked online (eBay) for some old Itanium hardware, with no
intent to buy anything. The prices ranged from $200 for decomissioned Intregrity servers listed as "for parts" up to $2000 for known working
HP ZX{2,6}000 workstations. Might be a worthwhile endeavor to pick up
one of those "for parts" machines and see if there's anything that
needs to be done or if they're just too lazy to turn it on.
--
I didn't choose the Slackware life.
Oh wait, that's a big fat lie.
But the Slackware life also chose me :)
--- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2