Re: [gentoo-embedded] is Gentoo ARM really defunct?

[Kumba]

Akos Maroy wrote:

> I see. If there were a handful of people willing to do this, how would
> they start about? As the current publinc portage tree does not contain
> the arm keyword for any package, would they have a separate,
> arm-development portage tree? They would make sure that certain packages
> compile, and insert details into the arm-development tree? Then somehow
> the changes would be merged into the main tree?
>
>
> Akos

Mainly, a profile in the profiles/ subdir of the portage tree, as well 
as editing the arch.list file (or whatever file in profiles/ that stores 
the allowable arch keywords).

Of course, you would want to test portage first to make sure it builds 
and installs (might have to install it by hand first).  You'd then aim 
for a minimal stage2 install of gentoo, essentially a post-bootstrapped 
system.  One idea at this point is to keep a "clean" version of the 
portage tree around from a specific date (a snapshot), and a second tree 
containing all the needed changes for arm.  After hitting the stage2 
phase, diff the two trees, drop a note in the forums with a tarball of 
the clean portage tree and the diff for the arm changes, and then move 
onto the next phase, and so on.

Essentially, you want to get to a stage3, merge additional packages 
(logger, cron, basic editors (nano, vi/vim, etc..) and such), then work 
on catalyst.  Once you can make catalyst churn out arm stages, and have 
a functioning arm stage3 environment, then you're doing really good, and 
by then, you (and others) probably have a very good understanding of 
gentoo and the portage system, and from there, the possibility of full 
and official support is highly probable, because there'd be functional 
install stages, people willing to maintain ARM in the tree, and so on.

This isn't an easy undertaking, and I'm probably giving the long version 
to restoring arm support, but it's a practical way that will show a 
solid core of dedication behind what may probably be considered one of 
the more difficult archs to maintain (due primarily to all the sub 
divisions of the arch).


--Kumba

-- 
"Such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: 
small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are 
elsewhere."  --Elrond

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