> X1000 could work, i think I think the PWRfficient SoCs do have altivec

Indeed it has. Unfortunately, with regard to this forum's target audience, it isn't supported by MorphOS.

> NXP e6500 should still work, that's full ISA 2.07 i believe

In big-endian mode, yes. Regarding little-endian mode, see:

https://forum.powerpc-notebook.org/index.php?topic=13.msg72#msg72
https://community.nxp.com/thread/439239
https://community.nxp.com/thread/512336


Edit: added another link

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 10.09.2019 - 14:57 ]

Quote:

Okay, well, that's a bit of a shame, I guess. I prefer to run little endian on my machines, big endian brings in unnecessary overhead when it comes to GPUs... that said, the big endian Void port is here to stay, only the more reason to have it...

q66,
Thanks for taking the time to register here and provide info.

Update:

> https://github.com/void-ppc64 (project site)
> https://void-ppc64.octaforge.org (repository)

Now for both 64-bit and 32-bit:

https://github.com/void-ppc (project site)
https://voidlinux-ppc.org (repository)


Edit: updated URLs

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 20.09.2019 - 12:07 ]

> Fienix looks pretty good.

Now forked as Fienix Lite.


Edit: updated URL from old one

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 22.11.2019 - 11:48 ]

Quote:
Ah nice - they plan to release DVDs for 32bit PPC Macs! Finally a distribution with a decent webbrowser around.

> Another one: [Fienix]

MintPPC is back: http://www.mintppc.nl
...as is CRUX-PPC: https://morph.zone/modules/newbb_plus/viewtopic.php?topic_id=8240&forum=55&start=8


Edit: added CRUX-PPC

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 06.02.2021 - 14:02 ]

4zlqxXOLnWb7.png
Meanwhile, Firefox 68 ESR running well on a PowerMac G5 (Gentoo Linux, MATE desktop).

If you don't like the hassles of a Gentoo install & building stuff yourself just use Void Linux (klick).

[ Editiert durch ernsteiswuerfel 26.10.2019 - 21:11 ]

> The glibc libc port for big endian is unusual because it uses the new ELFv2 ABI.
> Every other big endian ppc64 distro that still has support typically sticks with
> ELFv1, but Void is legacy-free in this regard (we're early adopters of ELFv2
> in BE glibc, I don't think it even worked properly until fairly recently).

Just to let people know that there's been a recent debate whether this ABI on PPC64BE is proper ELFv2, a subset of ELFv2 or no ELFv2 at all:

https://lists.ozlabs.org/pipermail/linuxppc-dev/2020-June/thread.html#211731

Thought this thread would be apt for posting this:
A really nice overview of the working state of GPUs in current Linux.

> MintPPC is back: [...]
> ...as is CRUX-PPC: [...]

Slackware for PPC32/PPC64 BE/LE:
https://www.riscyslack.org

Arch Linux for PPC32/PPC64 BE/LE:
https://www.archlinuxpower.org
https://github.com/kth5/archpower/releases


Edit: ArchPower now also for PPC64BE.

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 21.03.2023 - 14:28 ]

Update:

> debate whether this ABI on PPC64BE is proper
> ELFv2, a subset of ELFv2 or no ELFv2 at all:
> https://lists.ozlabs.org/pipermail/linuxppc-dev/2020-June/thread.html#211731

Solution regarding "ELFv2 BE ABI" announced:

"- Right now things work “by accident” [...]
- IBM thinks VSX requirement is a part of the ABI
- Solution: Formalize “ELFv2 Legacy-Compatible” ABI [...]
- ELFv2 minus POWER8/VSX requirement
- Extension of the official spec
- No VSX nor VMX requirement [...]
- Coming during 2021"
https://www.fosdem.org/2021/schedule/event/voidlinuxlittleendian/attachments/slides/4462/export/events/attachments/voidlinuxlittleendian/slides/4462/void_ppc_update.pdf (p. 36-38)
https://video.fosdem.org/2021/D.power/voidlinuxlittleendian.mp4 (MP4 video)
https://video.fosdem.org/2021/D.power/voidlinuxlittleendian.webm (WebM video)

Twitter message:
https://twitter.com/octaforge/status/1349073651455418368


Edit: added video links

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 16.02.2021 - 12:04 ]

These will help remedy some of the browser issues (or lack thereof) on 32-bit ppc Linux. Generic G3 (no altivec) builds compatible with ubuntu, debian, fienix, mint, gentoo, and void (glibc version).

Install via dpkg, or unpack the .deb and manually install to a location of your liking.

Arctic Fox
SpiderWeb

Cheers

[ Edited by wicknix 27.01.2021 - 17:45 ]

@Andreas_wolf: This is good news, thanks for the update!

"A G4 ought to be enough for anybody." like Bill Gates once said.

> "A G4 ought to be enough for anybody."
> like Bill Gates once said. ;-)

If this is meant in relation to "ELFv2 BE ABI", then no. ELFv2 is strictly 64-bit (as is ELFv1, btw), so no G4. In terms of MorphOS-compatible machines, this means G5/PPC970 and QorIQ P5.

Hmm... I didn't realize this would be 64bit only. His 32bit LE efforts seem to be for the G4 though. Would also increase software compatibility I guess.

> I didn't realize this would be 64bit only. His 32bit LE efforts [...]

64-bit big-endian ELFv2 ABI and 32-bit little-endian SVR4 ABI are two distinct efforts that happen to be initiated by the same developer. There's no overlap between them.

> [...] seem to be for the G4 though.

From p. 22 and 29:

"- Works as a chroot on 64-bit kernel [...]
- Easier emulation of 32-bit x86
- Port LE Linux to G3s/G4s? :) [...]
- For now, strictly POWER8+ though"

According to this, bare-metal port to PPC32 hardware may happen, but is not the primary objective. The point seems to be the simplification of 32-bit x86 emulation on PPC64LE hardware.

On another note:

"we're planning [...] allowing the little endian userlands to work on G3/G4 powermacs"
https://www.talospace.com/2020/12/void-ppc-goes-little-endian-on-32-bit.html?showComment=1608436832788#c1276631954537967166

> Slackware for PPC32/PPC64 BE/LE: https://www.riscyslack.org

Another attempt, also for PPC32/PPC64 BE/LE:
https://bonslack.bonnix.org/status.html

Update:

> ELFv2 BE ABI

Now officially supported by the Linux kernel (as of v6.2):
https://lists.ozlabs.org/pipermail/linuxppc-dev/2022-November/251506.html (GCC)
https://lists.ozlabs.org/pipermail/linuxppc-dev/2023-February/254725.html (Clang/LLVM)


Edit: added link to kernel patch for Clang/LLVM support

[ Edited by Andreas_Wolf 24.02.2023 - 01:34 ]

Been running ELFv2 BE ABI since 6.2-rc1 on my G5 11,2 and Talos II and it just works. Kernel and module size is a bit smaller due to lower stack usage it seems.

ELFv2 BE ABI 6.2 kernel is also possibla with clang with use of yet-to-be-mainlined patches (see https://github.com/ClangBuiltLinux/linux/issues/1761). Performance seems on par but with some Altivec regressions compared to GCC build.

> just use Void Linux (klick).

With Void Linux stopped being maintained for Power(PC) half a year ago, the former maintainer has now made a first experimental Live ISO image of his Chimera Linux, a BSD userland running on a Linux kernel, available for PPC64BE:

https://twitter.com/chimera_linux/status/1671002574244265987
https://floss.social/@chimera_linux/110574504379141787

@Andreas_Wolf: Did you try Chimera on a G5? I wonder how it performs compared to other ppc/ppc64 Linux Distros?

> Did you try Chimera on a G5?

No. If I do, it will be with a less experimental state :-)

Update:

>> ELFv2 BE ABI

> Now officially supported by the Linux kernel (as of v6.2): [...]

Switched from supported to default as of v6.5:

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-6.5-POWER
https://lists.ozlabs.org/pipermail/linuxppc-dev/2023-June/258569.html

@Andreas_Wolf: ELFv2 BE ABI works fine on ppc64. I've been using it since v6.2 and never had any problems with it. Kernel also gets a little bit smaller. As of v6.3 you can also build your BE kernel with clang/lld (at least clang-15 is needed), which was not possible before.

But AFAIK it's only a ppc64-thing. 32bit ppc uses a different ABI anyhow.