[geeks] Sun-HOWTO

[Bill Bradford]

Had this idea in the shower the other day (where I do some of my 
best thinking).

Anybody interested in working with me on a "Sun HOWTO" ?  Basically,
a chapter-by-chapter "howto" for working with a SPARC system.  Something
like:

1.  Brief History of Sun and the SPARC architecture and systems

2.  I've got a Sun box, now what?
	a.  identifying what you have
	b.  hooking up a serial terminal (aka, "what, it wont use my
	    ps2 keyboard and mouse?)
	c.  Booting the system
	d.  identifying hardware from boot messages

3.  OpenBoot quick tutorial
	a.  printenv/setenv
	b.  boot-device, input-device, output-device
	c.  when all else fails: set-defaults
	d.  booting from CD-ROM or network or tape

4.  NVRAM/IDPRM issues
	a.  what to do if the nvram battery is dead
	b.  sources of replacements

5.  I've got an OS already!
	a.  "I dont know the root password"
		I.  Booting off cd-rom to reset root password
	b.  I'm in as root, now how do I reconfigure the network?
		I.  IP address
		II.  Hostname
		III.  Subnet/Netmask
		IV.  Routing / default router
		V.  DNS issues and setup

6.  I dont have an OS installed!
	a.  Make sure you have a HD and CD-ROM
		I.  Compatible CD-ROM drives, setting SCSI IDs, blocksize..
	b.  Make sure your HD is big enough.
		II.  SCSI vs. IDE, etc.
	c.  Booting an OS (Solaris, etc) off CD-ROM and installing
		I.  IP address, hostname, etc
		II.  Which "distribution" should I pick to install?
		III.  Disk layout for home users
		IV.  Disk layout for servers

7.  Everything's installed and on the network, now what?
	a.  Lockdown the system.
		I.  Security guidelines here
	b.  Software packages
		I.  Sunfreeware, etc.
		II.  Mozilla, etc, etc.
		III.  Freshmeat.
	c.  Where's the compiler?
		I.  How to get/install GCC
		II.  Forte personal free license

8.  CDE/Openwindows is ugly, how do I get <linux-centric window manager> on
    here?
	a.  www.plig.org/~xwinman
	b.  how to start other window managers using .xinitrc
	c.  (optional) compiling XFree86 on Solaris/SPARC

Something like that - I'm sure much more could be added, and I've forgotten
things.. but what do you guys think?  

Bill

-- 
Bill Bradford
mrbill at mrbill.net
Austin, TX