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RMID:#mh/Mailbox/linux-mips	0	20090519125310.GA17733@linux-mips.org
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Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 11:01:05 -0700
From: Andrew Sharp <andy.sharp@onstor.com>
To: Ralf Baechle <ralf@linux-mips.org>
Cc: Laurent GUERBY <laurent@guerby.net>, Jon Fraser <jfraser@broadcom.com>,
 Andrew Wiley <debio264@gmail.com>, "linux-mips@linux-mips.org"
 <linux-mips@linux-mips.org>, "Maciej W. Rozycki" <macro@linux-mips.org>
Subject: Re: Bigsur?
Message-ID: <20090520110105.6fb81573@ripper.onstor.net>
In-Reply-To: <20090519125310.GA17733@linux-mips.org>
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On Tue, 19 May 2009 05:53:10 -0700 Ralf Baechle <ralf@linux-mips.org>
wrote:

> On Tue, May 19, 2009 at 02:17:20PM +0200, Laurent GUERBY wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, 2009-05-18 at 23:47 +0100, Maciej W. Rozycki wrote:
> > >  Yes, invaluable for native builds and there is a considerable
> > > number of software packages which is not capable of being
> > > cross-compiled, or requires extreme contortions to be built this
> > > way, or if buildable with a reasonable effort, the functionality
> > > is limited.  Besides a three-stage GCC bootstrap is a good way of
> > > verifying the quality of the tool, never mind standard
> > > DejaGNU-based regression testing which although possible using
> > > cross-tools and a remote target, is awfully painful to be set up
> > > this way.
> > 
> > For MIPS in the GCC Compile Farm http://gcc.gnu.org/wiki/CompileFarm
> > (which is open to all free software, not limited to GCC) we
> > have two loongson-2f based netbooks on which a GCC bootstrap
> > and check is manageable.
> > 
> > Right now this farm is more oriented towards upstream userland
> > developpers debug/test cycles - they get access to 12 architectures
> > when they sign in. It's not really oriented towards porting
> > kernel/distributions or building distribution packages which is
> > already well covered by existing distribution farms and individual
> > developpers and those developpers should get priority on new
> > hardware :).
> > 
> > This farm project is part of the Free Software Fundation France (a
> > french not-for-profit organization) effort to help free software
> > development and we accept hardware and hosting donations, and also
> > discounts to purchase commercial hardware when donations are not
> > possible and there is significant interest in one platform.
> 
> That I think is a great solution for people who need short term access
> but doesn't really solve the fundamental problem that hardware with
> sufficient punch for efficient native development isn't easily
> available.

Question: are machines that must be NFS-root and tftp booted acceptable
or not acceptable for such work?  The machines in question would 750MHz
Sibyte 1250s, so 3 Gigabit ports natively, and 2 serial consoles.

Cheers,

a



