RE: Porting ELKS

Riley Williams
2003-07-21T06:22:30Z

Hi.

The major part of any port would be to port GCC to the selected
processor (which means writing the GCC backend for that processor)
so it can compile the relevant source code. Once you've done that,
you've cracked 90% of porting either Linux or ELKS across since
GCC will compile that much of either for you.

> Let me explain the background a little bit as to why I am
> exploring this. It will give you a better picture.
>
> I wanted to have a few applications on Blackfin DSP. Let's
> say like web server, rtsp server etc...
>
> I pick up any free application on the Web , they all run on
> POSIX compliant OS like LINUX. Porting a full fledged LINUX
> is really a tough job ( ?) , so I thought ELKS was a good
> option and started looking at it.
>
> ucLinux seemed a good Idea, I checked with ADI, the answer I
> got is "The ucLinux port is on the way , but it could take a
> while .."
>
> I need to have a OS on the BLACKFIN quickly ..so that I get
> the applications on it ..and hence I was thinking ELKS ...;
>
> Are you saying ELKS would be inefficient on the DSP Processor
> ... or is it that porting ELKS on Blackfin be like a total
> rewrite ?

With either ELKS or Linux, the bulk of the porting job would be
with getting GCC to compile for that processor. You'd then be
faced with rewriting the assembly language parts of whatever OS
you wished to port, and that would essentially be the port done.

> Is eCOS port feasible like say in a 3-4 months time frame ?
> Is eCOS POSIX compliant ... so that we can get any application
> compile & run on it easily ?

I can't personally comment on eCOS as I know nothing about it,
sorry.

Best wishes from Riley.
---
* Nothing as pretty as a smile, nothing as ugly as a frown.

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