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@robert-dubinski.yi.org>, 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, where there are 125 JavaStations running Linux. These machines were 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.

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> (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

1.3. 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)
Magdalena Wodzinska <magda@magdalena.wodzinska.yi.org> (Proofreading and document layout suggestions)
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)
David Giller<dave@pdx.net> (Dover Info)
Robert Thornburrow<robert@tsac.fsnet.co.uk> (non-SPARC piggyback info)

If you contributed a tidbit of info and are not listed, please email the document author to get yourself listed.

1.4. History of this document

Revision History
Revision 1.1	15 Nov 2025
Numerous updates and additions revisions
Revision 1.05	16 Jun 2025
Requested Format Changes and Fixes
Revision 1.04	13 Jun 2025
Suggested Fixes and Added Requests
Revision 1.03	04 May 2025
Minor Fixes, Requests
Revision 1.02	28 Apr 2025
Small fixes.
Revision 1.01	25 Apr 2025
"Brown Paper Bag" Revision.
Revision 1.0	24 Apr 2025
First submission to the LDP.
Revision 0.9	18 Apr 2025
Continued reorganization and final merges.
Revision 0.7	15 Apr 2025
Migration from LinuxDoc DTD to Docbook DTD.
Revision 0.71	14 Apr 2025
Received word doc was forwarded inside Sun.
Revision 0.7	14 Apr 2025
Linked on Metabyte Website.
Revision 0.6	9 Apr 2025
First semi-public release.
Revision 0.4	24 Mar 2025
First move to comprehensive HOWTO.
Revision 0.2	15 Oct 2025
More notes collected and merged.
Revision 0.1	24 Jun 2025
Initial scraps put together.

1.5. Document Copyright and Licenses

This particular document and its source as a whole is Copyright 1999-2000, Robert Dubinski <rsd@robert-dubinski.yi.org>. You may mirror or redistribute this document as a whole or in part for either public or commercial purposes provided the following: 1) you do not make any modifications to this work , 2) retain this license information and author copyright section, even when redistributing just a part of this document, and 3) include acknowledgement of where this document as a whole may be obtained . This ensures that any comments written by the document author do not get taken out of context or modified incorrectly, acknowledges the work of the author, allows for inclusion in commercial projects, and points readers to where they may find potentially updated versions of the information presented.

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@robert-dubinski.yi.org> or send me a patch to the document source, and corrections will be made immediately.

In the future, this document may be re-released under the Open Content or other Free Document license, but for now all Open Documentation licenses are currently being investigated by the author. If you have comments into this legal matter, drop the author a line at <rsd@robert-dubinski.yi.org>. As it stands, the license presented above captures the spirit of the LDP boilerplate license without specifically mentioning it.

This document is a member document of the Linux Documentation Project.

1.6. 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 SGML source to this document, written to the Docbook DTD, is available from: http://javastation-howto.homeip.net/Files/JavaStation-HOWTO.sgml

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