From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Message-Id: From: diekema@bucks.si.com (diekema_jon) Subject: Current state of MPC8260 Linux To: Ruedi.Hofer@ascom.ch, linuxppc-embedded@lists.linuxppc.org Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 21:50:13 -0500 (EST) Cc: all@cideas.com In-Reply-To: <0FQB00A8FULE7R@pmdf-it.hasler.ascom.ch> from "Ruedi.Hofer@ascom.ch" at Feb 22, 2000 11:30:42 AM MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Sender: owner-linuxppc-embedded@lists.linuxppc.org List-Id: * My observations as to the current state of the MPC8260 version of Linux: { If anyone has additional wisdom on this topic, please send it to the mailing list or Jon Diekema } - MontaVista Software, http://www.mvista.com/, and at least one other company contracted with Dan Malek to perform the MPC8260 Linux port. Dan Malek was heavily involved with the MPC8xx Linux port, so he was a natural choice to do the MPC8260 port. - The Linux kernel is covered by the GPL, GNU Public License, version 2. See the COPYING from the Linux kernel distribution. From the GPL version 2: "2. You may modify your copy or copies of the Program or any portion of it, thus forming a work based on the Program, and copy and distribute such modifications or work under the terms of Section 1 above, provided that you also meet all of these conditions: ... b) You must cause any work that you distribute or publish, that in whole or in part contains or is derived from the Program or any part thereof, to be licensed as a whole at no charge to all third parties under the terms of this License." Therefore, MontaVista software is compelled to release their MPC8260 changes back to the Open Source community, however the timing isn't defined. I would expect MontaVista to release these changes either before or shortly after their MPC8260 work is released. - Paul Staudacher , Sales, indicated that MontaVista will be releasing the MPC8260 Linux changes, but it is not currently scheduled. - Jim Lewis , Sr. Field Applications Engineer, told me that a production MPC8260 Linux release for the EST SBC8260 board, http://www.estc.com/products/SBC/SBC8260_8240.html, is targeted for May/June 2000 timeframe. I asked Jim Lewis what features of the SBC8260 will be supported. Here is his response: From Jim Lewis : Right now, we have data cache turned off because Cache Snooping is not working. We are using 10 Mbit ethernet on an SCC rather than 100MBit on an FCC. The first release will have those two things fixed at a minimum. So here is a minimum list of features: NFS or Initial Ram Disk Root FS Async serial using SMC's Ethernet on SCC 10/100 Ethernet on FCC Proper cache operation x86 Linux hosted C/C++ Cross Dev environment Remote GDB KErnel debug over serial Remote GDB application debug over Serial/Ethernet - MontaVista makes its money through annual support contracts per contribution engineer. A contributing engineer is defined to be anyone making a software contribution to the project. The support costs aren't inexpensive, however you usually get what you pay for. For the details on the MontaVista pricing, you should contact Paul Staudacher . - The PPC Linux development is being done with the BitKeeper tools, http://www.bitkeeper.com/. In order to get the BitKeeper tools, you need to fill out an NDA. The BitKeeper developers are scrambling to make the tools work for the PPC Linux developement people. I have filled out a NDA, and both FAXed and US mailed the NDA to BitKeeper. I am waiting for a download login and password, but haven't received it yet. I called BitKeeper and they returned my call on the same day :). They explained they were dragging their feet on adding more people to the Beta program because of an antipicated file format change that was going to happen in the next week. This change would force everyone to use a new release of the BitKeeper software. BitKeeper wanted me to avoid the hassle of performing the upgrade. It has been week since the telephone conversation with BitKeeper, and I am still waiting to get the software. I suspect they are under the gun in getting the bugs worked out. - The PPC Linux development bits are available with rsync, http://rsync.samba.org/rsync/, from daily snapshots of the BitKeeper repository. rsync -avz --delete hq.fsmlabs.com::linuxppc_2_3 linuxppc_2_3 rsync -avz --delete hq.fsmlabs.com::linuxppc_2_2 linuxppc_2_2 By looking at what files are changing, you get a sense of what the developers are working on. I would rather have access to the BitKeeper tools first hand, so I could see who is doing what. - The PPC Linux develeopment BitKeeper repository is being hosted by Finite State Machine Labs, FSMLabs, http://hq.fsmlabs.com/. FSMLabs is a service of VJY Associates, LLC. Who is FSMLabs? From http://hq.fsmlabs.com/: "Created by the developers of RealTime Linux (RTLinux[tm]) and one of the main developers of PowerPC Linux, FSMLabs provides operating systems support to commercial vendors of products based on Linux. Providing core kernel expertise and development, we consult on general systems issues with a focus on real-time and embedded systems used in industry and research. In addition, we have cooperative arrangements with companies that provide direct customer support, systems integration and application development." FSMLabs are people behind RTLinux. Cort Dougan is involved with FSMLabs, and Cort has his name on the http://www.ppc.kernel.org/ web site. - Hints on how to use BitKeeper, BK: http://lists.linuxppc.org/listarcs/linuxppc-dev/200002/msg00193.html http://lists.linuxppc.org/listarcs/linuxppc-dev/200002/msg00220.html http://lists.linuxppc.org/listarcs/linuxppc-dev/200002/msg00221.html ------------------\\----------------------\\---------------------------- Jon Diekema | | Smiths Industries (616) 241-8310 | | 3290 Patterson Avenue, SE diekema_jon@si.com \\ \\ Grand Rapids, MI 49512-1991 ** Sent via the linuxppc-embedded mail list. See http://lists.linuxppc.org/