Re: [ECOS] Using existing Linux sources for the tools

["Gregg C Levine" <drwho8 at worldnet dot att dot net>]

Hello from Gregg C Levine
Objection noted. However, I have run binaries built on an older version of
Slackware Linux, on a newer one, not this version, and I've even ran
binaries that might have been built on Red Hat, on that same version. Since
currently my target is the Intel x86 one, I am not worried. I suppose I
should be, but I'm not. Also, according to Slackware, the source code
provided is the same as currently stored on the different GNU, and
associated Red Hat servers. As the saying goes, "I'll keep you folks
apprised.".Oh, and thank you for the advice.
Gregg C Levine drwho8@worldnet.att.net
"How many floors does this TARDIS of yours have, anyway?"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bart Veer" <bartv@ecoscentric.com>
To: <drwho8@worldnet.att.net>
Cc: <ecos-discuss@sources.redhat.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 18, 2002 11:11 AM
Subject: Re: [ECOS] Using existing Linux sources for the tools


> >>>>> "Gregg" == Gregg C Levine <drwho8@worldnet.att.net> writes:
>
>     Gregg> I do all of my Linux work on Slackware. This time I
>     Gregg> remembered to obtain the source code, for it, when I bought
>     Gregg> the CD set for version 8.0. Are there any objections to my
>     Gregg> using that source code, for the binary utilities, and the
>     Gregg> compiler set? If I don't hear any, I'll go ahead and do so.
>     Gregg> And if there are any actual complaints, please post them
>     Gregg> directly to me, first, and then to the list.
>
> One objection - there is no guarantee that the tools shipped with
> Slackware can be used for anything other than building code for an x86
> PC running Slackware.
>
> When you get a release of gcc, e.g. the 3.1 release, that will have
> been tested extensively on x86 Linux because many of the gcc
> developers use Linux as a development platform. And even then there
> may be some problems, e.g. when compiling the Linux kernel. There will
> also have been fairly extensive testing on some other systems such as
> Solaris, which are still used by quite a few people. As you move
> further away from the core platforms, it becomes more likely that the
> release version of the compiler is broken in some way. The released
> compiler may not have been tested at all for more obscure platforms.
> Even if testing did occur and revealed problems, the people in charge
> of the release may have decided that it was not worth holding up the
> release for the sake of a small proportion of their user base. There
> will be another release some months from now, hopefully somebody will
> have contributed suitable patches by then...
>
> Of course you do not need just the compiler: you also need working
> binutils and gdb. So you have a number of complicated projects, any of
> which may have problems for the particular target you are using.
> Getting a fully functional toolchain together requires a fair bit of
> work and lots of testing. Or you may get lucky.
>
> If you look at the installation instructions on
> sources.redhat.com/ecos, you will see that we recommend say gcc 2.95.2
> for some targets, a snapshot for others, and often it will be
> necessary to apply one or more patches before you can get working
> tools. This is not ideal, especially since 2.95.2 is fairly old. The
> alternative is worse: people trying to use broken tools while at the
> same time debugging their own application and, for newcomers, learning
> all about eCos as well.
>
> Bart
>


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