Re: Single MIPS kernel

[Florian Fainelli <f.fainelli@gmail.com>]

On 10/22/2014 03:53 AM, John Crispin wrote:
> Hi Ralf,
> 
> On 22/10/2014 10:34, Ralf Baechle wrote:
>> This question comes up every once in a while and I've also been
>> approached during ELCE in Düsseldorf why there is no single MIPS
>> kernel for all platforms, so I thought I should post a writeup on
>> the topic.
>>
> 
> for the SoCs supported by OpenWrt this is a no-go. we are already
> having a hard time fighting bloat. to get the images to fit we need to
> already build device specific images that only hold the DT, drivers,
> ... that a specific board needs. having a kernel that can boot on X
> devices wont even fit into flash and if it does there is not space
> left for the userland.

A multi-platform kernel should allow to compile in/out specific
platforms (like what ARM does), such that we can still achieve a small
kernel goal in OpenWrt.

> 
> I think this feature is only interesting for the older platforms and
> the upcoming mobile SoC based in MIPS. i.e. the users are debian and
> android type device.

You mean, older systems such as Sibyte, the SGI's IPxx and similar?
Those may have memory architecture requirements (spaces.h) that make it
difficult if possible to support.
--
Florian