Jeff,
>>
>
> OK.
>
> The first thing is to verify what rpm thinks your platform is, "i86pc" 
> is atypical.
>
> rpm --showrc will show what rpm thinks your platform is.

ARCHITECTURE AND OS:
build arch            : i86pc
compatible build archs: i86pc
build os              : sunos
compatible build os's : sunos
install arch          : i86pc
install os            : sunos
compatible archs      : i86pc
compatible os's       : SunOS

uname -ra returns
SunOS build 5.11 snv_98 i86pc i386 i86pc Solaris

Putting i386-pc-solaris2.11 into /etc/rpm/platform allows me to use yum 
to install noarch packages.


looks like yum/archwork.py is actually where yum defines compatibility. 
I'll have to define an i86pc entry in here (or recompile all of my 
already compiled packages)

Thanks,
-Rob