diff --git a/src/backend/port/Makefile b/src/backend/port/Makefile
index 23f287de93..dafa9ae5a0 100644
--- a/src/backend/port/Makefile
+++ b/src/backend/port/Makefile
@@ -9,8 +9,17 @@
 #
 #    make SUBSYS.o PORTNAME=linux
 #
+# We have two different modes of operation: 1) put stuff specific to Port X
+# in subdirectory X and have that subdirectory's make file make it all, and 
+# 2) use conditional statements in the present make file to include what's
+# necessary for a specific port in our own output.  (1) came first, but (2)
+# is superior for many things, like when the same thing needs to be done for
+# multiple ports and you don't want to duplicate files in multiple 
+# subdirectories.  Much of the stuff done via Method 1 today should probably
+# be converted to Method 2.  
+#
 # IDENTIFICATION
-#    $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/port/Makefile,v 1.1 1996/10/27 09:49:14 bryanh Exp $
+#    $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/port/Makefile,v 1.2 1996/10/28 09:00:52 bryanh Exp $
 #
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -20,18 +29,32 @@ ifndef PORTNAME
 	@false
 else
 
+OBJS = 
+
+ifeq ($(PORTNAME), sparc_solaris)
+# Other ports get the inet_aton() function from their standard C libraries.
+OBJS += inet_aton.o
+endif
+
 all: SUBSYS.o
 
-SUBSYS.o: 
+SUBSYS.o: $(PORTNAME)/SUBSYS.o $(OBJS)
+	$(LD) -r -o SUBSYS.o $(PORTNAME)/SUBSYS.o $(OBJS)
+
+$(PORTNAME)/SUBSYS.o:
 	$(MAKE) -C $(PORTNAME) SUBSYS.o
-	cp $(PORTNAME)/SUBSYS.o .
 
 clean:
-	rm -f SUBSYS.o
+	rm -f $(OBJS)
 	$(MAKE) -C $(PORTNAME) clean
 
-.DEFAULT: 
+depend dep:
+	$(CC) -MM $(INCLUDE_OPT) *.c >depend
 	$(MAKE) -C $(PORTNAME) $@
 
+ifeq (depend,$(wildcard depend))
+include depend
+endif
 
 endif
+
diff --git a/src/backend/port/inet_aton.c b/src/backend/port/inet_aton.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fe9e25a14e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/port/inet_aton.c
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+/*
+
+    This inet_aton() function was taken from the GNU C library and
+    incorporated into Postgres for those systems which do not have this
+    routine in their standard C libraries.
+
+    The function was been extracted whole from the file inet_aton.c in
+    Release 5.3.12 of the Linux C library, which is derived from the
+    GNU C library, by Bryan Henderson in October 1996.  The copyright
+    notice from that file is below.
+*/
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 1983, 1990, 1993
+ *	The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
+ *    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
+ * 3. All advertising materials mentioning features or use of this software
+ *    must display the following acknowledgement:
+ *	This product includes software developed by the University of
+ *	California, Berkeley and its contributors.
+ * 4. Neither the name of the University nor the names of its contributors
+ *    may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software
+ *    without specific prior written permission.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE REGENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND
+ * ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
+ * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
+ * ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
+ * FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+ * DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS
+ * OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
+ * HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
+ * LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
+ * OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+ * SUCH DAMAGE.  */
+
+#include <netinet/in.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
+#include "inet_aton.h"
+
+/*
+ * Check whether "cp" is a valid ascii representation
+ * of an Internet address and convert to a binary address.
+ * Returns 1 if the address is valid, 0 if not.
+ * This replaces inet_addr, the return value from which
+ * cannot distinguish between failure and a local broadcast address.
+ */
+int
+inet_aton(const char *cp, struct in_addr *addr)
+{
+	register u_long val;
+	register int base, n;
+	register char c;
+	u_int parts[4];
+	register u_int *pp = parts;
+
+	for (;;) {
+		/*
+		 * Collect number up to ``.''.
+		 * Values are specified as for C:
+		 * 0x=hex, 0=octal, other=decimal.
+		 */
+		val = 0; base = 10;
+		if (*cp == '0') {
+			if (*++cp == 'x' || *cp == 'X')
+				base = 16, cp++;
+			else
+				base = 8;
+		}
+		while ((c = *cp) != '\0') {
+			if (isascii(c) && isdigit(c)) {
+				val = (val * base) + (c - '0');
+				cp++;
+				continue;
+			}
+			if (base == 16 && isascii(c) && isxdigit(c)) {
+				val = (val << 4) + 
+					(c + 10 - (islower(c) ? 'a' : 'A'));
+				cp++;
+				continue;
+			}
+			break;
+		}
+		if (*cp == '.') {
+			/*
+			 * Internet format:
+			 *	a.b.c.d
+			 *	a.b.c	(with c treated as 16-bits)
+			 *	a.b	(with b treated as 24 bits)
+			 */
+			if (pp >= parts + 3 || val > 0xff)
+				return (0);
+			*pp++ = val, cp++;
+		} else
+			break;
+	}
+	/*
+	 * Check for trailing characters.
+	 */
+	if (*cp && (!isascii(*cp) || !isspace(*cp)))
+		return (0);
+	/*
+	 * Concoct the address according to
+	 * the number of parts specified.
+	 */
+	n = pp - parts + 1;
+	switch (n) {
+
+	case 1:				/* a -- 32 bits */
+		break;
+
+	case 2:				/* a.b -- 8.24 bits */
+		if (val > 0xffffff)
+			return (0);
+		val |= parts[0] << 24;
+		break;
+
+	case 3:				/* a.b.c -- 8.8.16 bits */
+		if (val > 0xffff)
+			return (0);
+		val |= (parts[0] << 24) | (parts[1] << 16);
+		break;
+
+	case 4:				/* a.b.c.d -- 8.8.8.8 bits */
+		if (val > 0xff)
+			return (0);
+		val |= (parts[0] << 24) | (parts[1] << 16) | (parts[2] << 8);
+		break;
+	}
+	if (addr)
+		addr->s_addr = htonl(val);
+	return (1);
+}
diff --git a/src/backend/port/inet_aton.h b/src/backend/port/inet_aton.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6909bd2b12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/backend/port/inet_aton.h
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+int
+inet_aton(const char *cp, struct in_addr *addr);