Re: [gentoo-dev] RFC: new USE="win32" flag for mingw and prefix/windows support

[Anthony G. Basile]

On 4/20/16 3:30 PM, Ian Stakenvicius wrote:
> On 20/04/16 03:01 PM, Anthony G. Basile wrote:
>
>> The way I think of it is
>
>> the operating system (ie kernel) = kernel_Winnt the system
>> libraries (=~libc)    = elibc_Winnt the executable binary format
>> = win32
>
>> I don't know that we need an executable binary format flag, but
>> we might because they're working on windows 10 so it can natively
>> run ELF.
>
>
>
> According to 'file' the binary format is actually "PE32 executable
> (console) Intel 80386, for MS Windows" for a random *.exe file in my
> /usr/i686-w64-mingw32/usr/bin
>
> I assume PE32 would be the label one would use if comparing to ELF ?
>

yes and while it is reported by `file` as PE32, it is sometimes referred
to as just win32.  its proper name, if i recall correctly is "Win32
Portable Executable File Format".  it is the equivalent of ELF, COFF and
a.out in the Linux world and Mach-O in the Mac world.  basically its the
format the linker/loader is looking for.

if i've understood the plans for windows 10, its kernel will be able to
link/load native ELF and execute Linux system calls, at least for amd64
arch/abi.  I saw a demonstration with ubuntu userland, but i'm sure it
will be able to handle gentoo.  with gentoo portage in there, i think
we'll expand in to a whole new market.

not meaning to steal your thread, but i think keeping the namespace
precise here will help us avoid collisions in the future.


-- 
Anthony G. Basile, Ph.D.
Gentoo Linux Developer [Hardened]
E-Mail    : blueness@g.o
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