Re: What's the plan for powerpc64 in FreeBSD 16

On Wed, 26 Nov 2025, Poul-Henning Kamp wrote:

> Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2025 17:07:23 +0000
> From: Poul-Henning Kamp <[email protected]>
> To: Minsoo Choo <[email protected]>
> Cc: Warner Losh <[email protected]>,
>     "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: What's the plan for powerpc64 in FreeBSD 16
> 
> Minsoo Choo writes:
>
>> After reading replies, I still have questions why we should keep powerpc64be.
>
>> Second, regarding arguments about keeping big-endian support in codebase even
>> if no one actually physically runs the code:
>> This also applies to leaving 32-bit code (armv7) in tree for future
>> compatibility.
>
> I think that is a bit of a leap, although in principle I agree.
>
> However, I am much less convinced that a relevant new 32 bit platform
> will appear, than that somebody comes out with a 64 BE platform.
>
> Bit-rot is a thing, and unless we are willing to say "Screw anybody
> silly enough to create BE platform now or in the future" we should
> still guard against it.

There is a number of new PowerPC 64 BE systems:
A1222
Sam460 several versions
Mirari (New PPC hardware)
Also, https://www.powerpc-notebook.org/en/
I am also told you can still buy X5000s new.