Gentoo Archives: gentoo-embedded

From: Eric Radman <theman@×××××××.com>
To: gentoo-embedded@g.o
Subject: [gentoo-embedded] uClibc vs. Glibc
Date: Thu, 06 Nov 2003 23:01:02
Message-Id: 1068141654.9254.21.camel@inspiration
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-embedded] Welcome by nDiScReEt
1 Glibc is obviously compatible with everything, but it wasn't designed
2 for light-weight systems. See "Lightweight Linux, Part 1" at IBM
3 developerworks by Todd E. Sundsted (todd-p2p@×××××.com):
4
5 Quote:
6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 uClibc
8 Every Linux system needs a C library. The C library provides common file
9 operations (open, read, write), memory management operations (malloc,
10 free), and many other functions that make a Linux system a Linux system.
11 Most Linux systems use Glibc. Glibc is mature, well tested, and actively
12 being developed. Unfortunately, it also uses an unacceptable amount of
13 memory.
14
15 Rather than use Glibc, I recommend uClibc, a modern, stable, highly
16 compatible replacement for Glibc. uClibc was developed for embedded
17 systems and is therefore intended to be complete but lightweight.
18 Trade-offs between speed and size were decided in the direction of size.
19 In spite of this, in almost all cases, applications and tools compiled
20 against uClibc are indistinguishable from those compiled against glibc.
21 The uClibc Web site (see Resources) lists over one hundred applications
22 that are known or have been reported to work with uClibc. The list
23 includes standard utilities like Gzip and Lilo, as well as slightly less
24 common utilities like Lame (an MP3 encoder) and Freeswan (a VPN
25 implementation). Since I measure the usefulness of a system by the
26 maturity of the tools and applications that run on the system, it was
27 important to me that the C library I chose be capable of supporting the
28 tools I needed.
29
30 Dietlibc is another alternative to Glibc. My research indicated that
31 while Dietlibc requires less memory that uClibc, it realizes this gain
32 by sacrificing compatibility with Glibc. In the end, I went with uClibc
33 because it appeared to support more of the applications that I needed to
34 use.
35 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
36 http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-lwl1/
37
38 Eric Radman
39 theman@×××××××.com
40
41
42 On Thu, 2003-11-06 at 22:34, nDiScReEt wrote:
43 > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
44 > Hash: SHA1
45 >
46 > On Thursday 06 November 2003 02:52 pm, Chris PeBenito wrote:
47 > > Again, welcome to everybody.
48 > >
49 > > If you haven't looked at the rudimentary project page:
50 > > http://dev.gentoo.org/~pebenito/embedded.html
51 > >
52 > > I added a subproject about real time systems, as suggested by someone in
53 > > the IRC channel. Please glance over the subproject listings, and we'd
54 > > like to know if you have further suggestions.
55 > >
56 > > As I see it now, the first thing we need to tackle is the building. We
57 > > need to get cross compilers going. Kumba has been doing some work on
58 > > that recently, but is currently buried under a pile of classwork. If
59 > > you're interested in helping him out, drop him an email. So when he
60 > > gets through with his other responsibilities, hopefully we can get some
61 > > stuff going.
62 > >
63 > > We're kicking around the idea of creating profile(s) for the systems,
64 > > which would obviously have the bare minimum for operation and would be
65 > > using uClibc.
66 > >
67 > > I'd really like to have some brainstorming, since we're just starting
68 > > out. So I encourage everyone to bring forward their ideas.
69 >
70 >
71 > Are you saying that gentoo's implimentations will use only uClibc? I think
72 > familiar prefers glibc but I am not certain. I sent them an inquiry and I
73 > should have an answer shortly in regards to that. If familiar does prefer
74 > glibc over uClibc, will there be an option for the glibc over uClibc?
75 >
76 > - --
77 > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------
78 > Altoine B
79 > Maximum Time Unlimited
80 > Chicago Based and Operated
81 > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------
82 > IBM Advanced Systems Group -- a bunch of mindless jerks, who'll be first
83 > against the wall when the revolution comes...
84 > -- with regrets to D. Adams
85 > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------
86 > 2.6.0-test9
87 > Gentoo Base System version 1.4.3.11
88 > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------
89 > Public Key:
90 > http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x22D6857B
91 > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------
92 > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
93 > Version: GnuPG v1.2.3 (GNU/Linux)
94 >
95 > iD8DBQE/qsyIwuQ/lCLWhXsRAgfjAJ9nBb17vWG2Q8fSLRCBMhl5NJe5hgCdH7T2
96 > P6e2mDT0ntq0DeCsyre4pQ0=
97 > =GXj6
98 > -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
99 >
100 >
101 > --
102 > gentoo-embedded@g.o mailing list
103 >
104
105
106 --
107 gentoo-embedded@g.o mailing list

Replies

Subject Author
[gentoo-embedded] Bootloaders, and more bootloaders Eric Radman <theman@×××××××.com>
Re: [gentoo-embedded] uClibc vs. Glibc AJ Armstrong <aja@×××××××××××××.com>