[rescue] IRIX/SGI opinions of O2 for graphics?

[Jonathan C. Patschke]

On Tue, 10 Sep 2002, Joshua D Boyd wrote:

> Does it look like files from GCC and MIPSPro are going to be able to be
> cross linked anytime soon?

C and FORTRAN stuff is still hindered by that structure-passing bug.  At
this point, I don't expect the GCC team to ever fix that blunder.  C++
stuff will never be able to be cross-linked.  This is by-design.

So, I have one tree of software built with MIPSpro (which is a -lot- of
software), and one tree of software that I'm building with GCC 3.2
(GNUstep and its dependencies) so that I don't run into any nasty bugs.

> An O2 or Octane is on the list of things to consider getting, but it
> won't be soon.

Unless you want to play with video I/O, go with an Octane.  The price
drop from an Octane to an O2 simply doesn't make up for the difference
in performance.  PVO and DVO are still quite expensive, so I wouldn't
pick up an Octane for playing with video.

> I'm highly tempted to load up Simply GNUstep (a linux distro that is
> all about pretending to be Nextstep)

I'd heard of that, and it sounds interesting, but I haven't had the
chance to take it for a test-drive yet.  If I can't get AIX to load on
the PC850 that I have, I might consider seeing if I can cross-build the
distribution for PPC.

> if Gnustep is something I could really use yet, and how hard it is to
> create binaries that don't relie on gnustep being installed.

GNUstep is supposedly quite usable now, but there aren't many apps.
GNUmail looks like it's really getting there, and the Workplace is
almost complete, so it'll make a nice shell.  As for apps that don't
require GNUstep--you'll need to static-link against any GNUstep libs
that you use, or just include those .so files in your distribution.

I'll let you know more once I have things running happily over here.
However, just running WindowMaker is a huge step above running Indigo
Magic--the mouse is almost completely optional!

-- 
Jonathan Patschke
   > Can you SysAdmins tell me what might go on in a typical day?
   Hours of endless frustration punctuated by moments of sheer terror.
                                 --Saul Tannenbaum (in the Monastery)