iBCS EMULATION FOR LINUX
========================
05 November 1998
INTRODUCTION
------------
The iBCS kernel module for Linux provides access to the wide variety
of applications available for i386 and Sparc based implementations
of Unix. Support of SVR4, SVR3, Xenix and BSD is provided with the
iBCS module handling the non-standard extensions made by various
vendors in a completely transparent fashion on a per process basis
allowing your applications from a SCO based PC to run side by side
with those from a multiprocessor Wyse system on your Linux PC(*).
Not only does this give Linux arguably the largest application base
of any Unix but it also makes Linux the ideal tool to integrate and
extend existing Unix networks.
(*) It is, of course, the user's responsibility to ensure that any
licensing requirements of your existing packages are adhered to.
SUPPORTED CPU ARCHITECTURES
---------------------------
* Intel 386/486/Pentium and compatibles Release
* Sparc Alpha
SUPPORTED BINARY FORMATS AND STATUS
-----------------------------------
* A.OUT Release
* ELF Release
* COFF Release
* XOUT Beta
SUPPORTED OS EMULATIONS AND STATUS
----------------------------------
* Sparc Solaris Alpha
* i386 BSD (386BSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD, BSDI/386) Alpha (unmaintained)
* SVR4 (Interactive, Unixware, USL, Dell etc.) Release
* SVR3 generic Release
* SCO 3.2.x COFF Release
* SCO OpenServer 5 COFF & ELF Release
* Wyse V/386 (SVR3 with extensions) Release
* Xenix V/386 Beta
* Xenix V/286 Alpha (unmaintained)
SUPPORTED SUBSYSTEM EMULATIONS AND STATUS
-----------------------------------------
* SYSV IPC Release
* /dev/socksys socket interface Release
* System call socket interface Release
* /dev/spx STREAMS device Release
* XTI/TLI & libnsl_s (client only tested) Beta
AVAILABILITY
------------
FTP: tsx-11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/BETA/ibcs2 and mirrors
PRICING
-------
The iBCS emulator costs you nothing. Install it on as many machines as
you like. There is no small print to read and no lawyers will pursue
you for license infringement (of the iBCS emulator).
The iBCS emulator should be considered to be distributed under
the GNU General Public License as it contains, is derived from,
and interfaces with the Linux kernel. A copy of this license is
now included in the distribution.
If, on the other hand, you simply do not believe that anything good
is free then the cost is 99 pounds sterling per machine you run the
emulator on. Send this money to any iBCS developer (or developers) of
your choice who I am sure will make good use of it. Alternatively you
may send the money direct to the charity of your choice or use it any
other way that will benefit society (or not - your choice).
Supporting operating systems and applications which I don't have
running is difficult to say the least. Donations of OS flavours (ideally
with development system), applications and hardware is particularly
welcome. Hardware, in particular, is a continuous problem.
SUPPORT
-------
There should be nothing in the emulator to support, however if you have
questions feel free to ask the developers. If you think you have found
a bug in the emulator you can employ anyone you like (including me!) to
fix the problem at any price you agree. It would be appreciated if you
send the patch to jaggy@purplet.demon.co.uk so it is incorporated in
future releases.
If you feel you cannot live without paying money regularly to someone
on the off chance you may wish to ask them a question sometime then
contact the developers who will be happy to discuss how much you should
send them.
A list of people who are believed to have contributed to the iBCS
emulator is contained in the CREDITS file in the main distribution.
APPLICATION VALIDATION
----------------------
In general the application vendor will be better placed to test their
applications on iBCS/Linux as they will have the knowledge and test
procedures to fully exercise the product. If you really do not wish
to install a Linux PC and run your application yourself you will find
that there are plenty of people interested in being paid to use your
software for a change.
Some applications that people have used successfully are listed in
the COMPAT file of the main distribution. This is however a *very*
small ad hoc subset of applications which work.