Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="shadov" data-source="post: 24531">Yes. With closed source software that is true. You cannot run x86 binaries on PPC. But once you have access to the source code and the OS from which you are porting and the OS you are porting to are similar enough, it becomes usually quite simple. Just recompile and it'll run. Most programs don't very much directly interact with hardware (other than CPU). They use interfaces that are already implemented in the host OS.Problems arise when those interfaces differ between operating systems. That's why we don't see more Windows apps ported to OS X. That's why we have tons of Linux and BSD apps ported, that run under X11 on OS X, and almost none that run natively under Aqua.Well back to the topic. BIOS works extremely close to hardware. So it would be difficult to get a BIOS that is designed for certain mother board to work on another. Also I think Apple's 'BIOS', or what ever it is called, is way more advanced than the old x86 BIOS specification.Both PPC and x86 mobos use IDE and AGP. Both use same RAM and almost same graphics and sound cards. Memory controllers are probably somewhat different, but they differ between x86 mobos too.I have no idea whether it is possible to port PPC BIOS to some x86 board or not, or how difficult it would be.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="shadov, post: 24531"] Yes. With closed source software that is true. You cannot run x86 binaries on PPC. But once you have access to the source code and the OS from which you are porting and the OS you are porting to are similar enough, it becomes usually quite simple. Just recompile and it'll run. Most programs don't very much directly interact with hardware (other than CPU). They use interfaces that are already implemented in the host OS. Problems arise when those interfaces differ between operating systems. That's why we don't see more Windows apps ported to OS X. That's why we have tons of Linux and BSD apps ported, that run under X11 on OS X, and almost none that run natively under Aqua. Well back to the topic. BIOS works extremely close to hardware. So it would be difficult to get a BIOS that is designed for certain mother board to work on another. Also I think Apple's 'BIOS', or what ever it is called, is way more advanced than the old x86 BIOS specification. Both PPC and x86 mobos use IDE and AGP. Both use same RAM and almost same graphics and sound cards. Memory controllers are probably somewhat different, but they differ between x86 mobos too. I have no idea whether it is possible to port PPC BIOS to some x86 board or not, or how difficult it would be. [/QUOTE]

Verification

Name this item 🌈