[wplug] Installfest: SPARCstation IPX

[Drew from Zhrodague]

> A GPU framebuffer is often required for non-PCs to work.  I.e., a great
> majority of non-PCs don't have a "text mode" on the GPU (that's what the
> serial port is for ;).  So if you want to display anything -- including
> the boot-up sequence -- your kernel has to setup the GPU's graphical
> frame buffer just to do text.

 	Suns, in general, ouput their console to the framebuffer if the
keyboard is plugged in. It does have a text mode, but these machines 
assume a fixed-frequency monitor, unless you plug-in a decent multisync 
(anything after 1998, really) monitor.

 	Otherwise, you'll need a Sun/Mac modem cable to see the output 
from the serial port.

 	Don't the IPXs have a built-in framebuffer?

-- 

Drew from Zhrodague		http://www.WiFiMaps.com
drew at zhrodague.net		http://www.pghwireless.net
 				http://www.zhrodague.net/~drew