1. META Information

This section lists the meta-information of this document. The hows, whys, location and changes to the structure of the document are documented here. The main content begins in the next chapter.

1.1. The Purpose of this Document

This document is to serve as a comprehensive HOWTO and FAQ collection regarding the Sun JavaStation NC and enabling the GNU/Linux OS on it.

The intended audience of this document is anyone who has an interest in enabling Linux on the Sun JavaStations. The document structure is laid out to serve as either a top-to-bottom read for a newcomer, or as quick reference on a single topic for advanced users. Pointers to sample files submitted by users are included for extremely hurried readers.

The author of this document is Robert Dubinski <rsd@dubinski-family.org>. Robert is a UNIX System and Network Administrator for TAOS Mountain of Santa Clara, CA. Robert is the former computer technician and UNIX systems administrator for Marquette University's Math, Statistics and Computer Science Department, he had 125 JavaStations running Linux. These machines were all configured using the information, techniques and files presented in this document.

In early 1999, Eric Brower <ebrower@usa.net> wrote the first informal HOWTO for the JavaStation. Parts of this document are inspired by his work, and all unique information presented there have since been merged into this document. Eric's original mini-HOWTO is saved for posterity at: http://javastation-howto.homeip.net/Files/texts/eric_brower_js_howto_19990916.txt

This HOWTO also aims to serve as a member document of the Linux Documentation Project. The LDP can be reached at: http://www.linuxdoc.org

1.2. Acknowledgments

Enabling Linux on the JavaStations , and allowing this HOWTO to come to be would never have been possible without the fine work of the following people:

Pete Zaitcev <zaitcev@yahoo.com> (Primary JavaStation kernel mod author)
Eric Brower <ebrower@usa.net> (XFree mods and author of the original embedded-build HOWTO)
Varol Kaptan <varol@ulakbim.gov.tr> (made available his Krups images and patches. Backported kernel support to 2.2.x series)
David Miller <davem@redhat.com> (the original Linux/SPARC kernel porter)
The Linux/SPARC kernel porters and mailing list
The thousands of contributors to the Linux kernel

The HOWTO author wishes to give a second thank-you to Pete and Eric for their work:

Pete got me going with Linux on the JavaStation in December 1998, has been the main kernel programmer adding in support for the JavaStation line, and despite his busy work schedule was nice enough to find time to answer all my email queries for help over the last 15 months.

Eric worked on bringing X support to the JavaStation when it had none. He had been working on a dedicated server for the JavaStation in early 1999, and kept me informed of his progress. In mid-1999, he switched tactics and sent a working framebuffer example to test out. He also wrote the first comprehensive mini-HOWTO for the JavaStations, answered my email questions, and got me interested in the embedded solution which I employ here at Marquette.

Thank-you Pete and Eric!

--Robert Dubinski, March 2000

1.2.1. Document Contributors

The following people have contributed to this specific document:

Pete Zaitcev <zaitcev@yahoo.com> (Proofreading and factual corrections of initial drafts)
Eric Brower <ebrower@usa.net> (Proofreading and factual corrections of initial drafts)
Richard Tomlinson <Richard.Tomlinson@one2one.co.uk> (Document reader, Krups tester, feedback)
Michael R. Eckhoff <foobar@null.net> (feedback on sample kernel)
John Bodo <sales_nospam@bodoman.com> (JavaStation prototype info)
Simon Whiting <Simon.Whiting@mysun.com> (Typo Fix in DHCP config)
Alex Cellarius<alexc@mail.systems104.co.za> ("Dover" info and pic)
Matt Lowry<mclowry@cs.adelaide.edu.au> (Suggestion of Boot Sequence Visuals Section)
David Tinker<david@hemtech.co.za> (Dover model info)
David O'Brien<obrien@NUXI.com> (Fox prototype info)
Olaf Pueschel<olf@olmos.de> (OBP info, true color info)
Richard Tomlinson<richard@sysgen.co.uk> (Boot monitoring key combinations)
Zachary Drew<zach@math.umn.edu> (Troubleshooting Suggestions)
Robert Thornburrow<robert@tsac.fsnet.co.uk> (non-SPARC piggyback info)
Bill Childers<bill@nulldevice.net> (Assorted Dover Info)

If you contributed a tidbit of info and are not listed, please email the document author to get yourself listed. Everyone deserves recognition helping this document evolve.

1.3. History

Revision History
Revision 1.22	31 May 2001
Changed file links, some sample file formats, and clarified info relating to the sample files, following requests on the sparclinux mailing list.
Revision 1.20	08 May 2001
Information Refresh up to the current date, and change to GNU Free Documentation License 1.1
Revision 1.15	01 May 2001
Migrate source to DocBook XML 4.12
Revision 1.13	02 Feb 2001
Minimal Bugfixes
Revision 1.12	29 Dec 2000
Additional info on the "Fox" model
Revision 1.11	23 Nov 2000
Krups truecolor blurb, removed one acknowlegement per email request
Revision 1.1	15 Nov 2000
Numerous updates and additions revisions
Revision 1.05	16 Jun 2000
Requested Format Changes and Fixes
Revision 1.04	13 Jun 2000
Suggested Fixes and Added Requests
Revision 1.03	04 May 2000
Minor Fixes, Requests
Revision 1.02	28 Apr 2000
Small fixes.
Revision 1.01	25 Apr 2000
"Brown Paper Bag" Revision.
Revision 1.0	24 Apr 2000
First submission to the LDP.
Revision 0.9	18 Apr 2000
Continued reorganization and final merges.
Revision 0.7	15 Apr 2000
Migration from LinuxDoc DTD to Docbook DTD.
Revision 0.71	14 Apr 2000
Received word doc was forwarded inside Sun.
Revision 0.7	14 Apr 2000
Linked on Metabyte Website.
Revision 0.6	9 Apr 2000
First semi-public release.
Revision 0.4	24 Mar 2000
First move to comprehensive HOWTO.
Revision 0.2	15 Oct 1999
More notes collected and merged.
Revision 0.1	24 Jun 1999
Initial scraps put together.

1.4. Document Copyright and Licenses

Copyright (c) 1999-2001 Robert S. Dubinski. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the Invariant Sections being: "Why JavaStations are No Longer Produced", with one Front-Cover Text: "Linux on JavaStation HOWTO", and with one Back-Cover Text: "This document was written by Robert S. Dubinski in the hope that more people can put their JavaStation hardware to good use. Thank-you to the Linux kernel hackers who made this happen, and thank-you to Sun for a rock-solid piece of hardware." A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

The document author makes no warranties that all the information presented here is completely accurate, and cannot be held liable to any loss you experience as a result of the information you use from here.

Best efforts have been made to ensure everything included is accurate as of the publication date listed at the beginning of this document, but there is always a possibility something may be wrong. In this case, doublecheck with alternative sources first before considering implementing anything at a production-level. If you find something wrong, drop the author a line at <rsd@dubinski-family.org> or send a patch to the document source, and corrections will be made immediately.

This document is an official member document of the Linux Documentation Project.

1.5. Location of the Latest Version and Source

The latest online version of this document can be found at: http://javastation-howto.homeip.net .

The pre-processed XML source to this document, written to the Docbook DTD, version 4.1.2, is available from: http://javastation-howto.homeip.net/doc/src/JavaStation-HOWTO.xml

The pre-processed XML source to the GNU Free Documentation License, written to the Docbook DTD, and which this document is licensed under, is available from: http://javastation-howto.homeip.net/doc/src/gfdl.xml

Copies of this document are also available from the Linux Documentation Project at: http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/JavaStation-HOWTO.

1.6. Reporting Bugs Found In or Additions to the HOWTO

Any problems or concerns about the HOWTO should be reported via email to the author, Robert Dubinski, at <rsd@dubinski-family.org>. Do NOT send bug reports to the SparcLinux mailing list or the Linux Documentation Project.

1.7. TODO List for this HOWTO

Talk about NetBSD support and sample files.