Re: Hurd on ppc ?

[Derek L Davies]

"B. Douglas Hilton" <bdhilton@charter.net> writes:

> [snip]
> The most critical part of Hurd is currently the microkernel. Hurd
> typically depends on a compatible Mach. I am not overly knowledgable
> about OS/X and Darwin, but AFAIK MkLinux uses some kind of Mach
> microkernel.
> [snip]

You're correct - MkLinux uses Mach.

> If you have a powerpc machine which can run MkLinux, then this would
> be your springboard to Hurd. Use the MkLinux microkernel as your start
> point, and compile up "the Hurd", and then your base c-libraries, linking
> against Mach and Hurd instead of Linux. Then, using lots of black magic, make
> some kind of --host=powerpc-linux --target=powerpc-gnu gcc cross compiler.
> Finally, using this new compiler reiterate the process until it actually
> begins to work?
>

I've been setting MkLinux on an old Performa 6300CD .  I think I'm
pretty close to having it working.  I wanted an old machine that was
good enough to serve mail but slow enough to dissuade me from hacking
on it.  So much for that.  I think it would be enough to install gcc
and compile from there (with enough patience).  But a cross compiler
would be nice to have to speed things up...  It just seems like a lot
of work to get it right.

> These are my guesses. I'm sure some of the more senior Hurd'ers have
> more information on how to bootstrap compile the OS. The microkernel
> is a critical part, and it is very possible that the MkLinux version
> of Mach would work with some modification. I think it would be bigger
> than a one-man project and you'd need to recruit some helpers.

Maybe I could help.  But I'm still hacking away at adding a random
pool device to OSKit so that would take priority.

> BTW, I just foolishly bid on a RS/6000-42T on Yahoo :-)  I know
> darn well that micro-channel will never work with anything except
> AIX, but it does have a Powerdisplay 20 bundled. What was I thinking?
> I need to save my dough for one of those Zaurus SL-5500 toys...
>

Man, you've got quite a collection going there!  Isn't there an EBay
anonymous yet ;-)

Hack on Doug!

Derek

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