Re: Merge back of the MIPS sources

["William J. Earl" <wje@fir.engr.sgi.com>]

Bob Mende Pie writes:
 > Ralf,
 > 
 >    Have you verified that the newest code still works on the other MIPS
 > based systems?   Also, is it possible to have (linux) binary compatability
 > between a mips Magnum or Millennium and an Indy?
 >    There is a 50Mhz Millennium over here that we might be able to use as a
 > test system.

      If the MIPS system is running big-endian (as under RISCos), it can
be binary-compatible with Indy linux, just as RISCos 5.01 -systype svr4
binaries are binary-compatible with Indy IRIX 5.1 and later systems.
If the MIPS system is running little-endian (as under NT), it cannot
be binary-compatible with Indy linux, without adding bi-endian support
(for running opposite-endian binaries, which is feasible, but messy).
We prototyped bi-endian support in RISCos when before the Magnum
was built, and it worked, but the code was very ugly in the streams
area.  linux would likely be easier, but still a hassle.