Gentoo Linux

[Yannick]

You can definitely help if you're running Gentoo!

That's because you rely on portage to do the cross-compilation right?
Hmz, I am on ubuntu atm. I guess I'll have to set-up a virtual machine to check this out.

 

[laurencevde]

A chroot with gentoo in it is all you need. See http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/base/x86/chroot.xml, but do take a look at the normal gentoo-install-manual as well. A "stage-3 tarball" contains a basic gentoo, and can be downloaded from gentoo's mirrors. You don't have a /usr/portage in ubuntu, and you won't want /usr/src/linux and /lib/modules in this chroot. Just leave those out. Do an "emerge --sync" once you're in the chroot(you won't be able to install packages without it), and you're basically done.

It might be a good idea to make a preconfigured one available as a download, so that new users can start out quickly.

 

[javaJake]

Well right now everything is in flux so much it would be pretty pointless to prepare a pre-configured development environment. I'll certainly consider that later on, though. Thanks for the idea.

 

[viridior]

You can definitely help if you're running Gentoo!

That's because you rely on portage to do the cross-compilation right?
Hmz, I am on ubuntu atm. I guess I'll have to set-up a virtual machine to check this out.



Yannick, yes you will need to use Gentoo in order to work with our software and documentation. Thats not saying that what we work on in the project won't have applications in other OSes, but the tools such as crossdev are Gentoo specific.

There is already a reply on using chrooted Gentoo on a non-Gentoo system which will work. I am currently working on building binary paths and tools along with distcc so that we can easily and quickly deploy packages once the Pandora is out. We can use a lot of help just cross-compiling and testing the install documentation against the software. Someone with experience using cross-compiling specifically with ARM platforms would be excellent.

 

[Creature XL]

I havew setup GENTOO in a VirtualBox on a Windows PC (I am foircd to use windows at my GF's house ).

If anyone is interestedin getting the config file and image i can upload it somewhere.
It took me around an hour to follow a HowTo to build this image. Just in case someone don't want to go to teh hazel of making an image himself.
I will tryout teh new instruction from the gentoo-pandora project the next days (maybe tonite) if I succed this time the image would/should be useable to cross-compile stuff from the project

 

[viridior]

I havew setup GENTOO in a VirtualBox on a Windows PC (I am foircd to use windows at my GF's house ).

If anyone is interestedin getting the config file and image i can upload it somewhere.
It took me around an hour to follow a HowTo to build this image. Just in case someone don't want to go to teh hazel of making an image himself.
I will tryout teh new instruction from the gentoo-pandora project the next days (maybe tonite) if I succed this time the image would/should be useable to cross-compile stuff from the project

I also have completed a gentoo-arm-pandora image. There is a Download link on LaunchPad, but I need to talk to javaJake about how that will be used. I would think that it will be reserved for tested images only, not dev images. Unfortunately, as of yet, I have not been able to locate a free server that we can used to host our images/binaries. I can host it myself temporarily, but I'm using a cable connection and upload speeds would be unbearable. Is there anyone that knows of a free/really cheap host that can offer rsync or ftp/sftp for us?

 

[Vorporeal]

If you needed to, you could always try rapidsharing it or something like that...

 

[viridior]

If you needed to, you could always try rapidsharing it or something like that...

I opened a mediafire account yesterday and the gentoo-arm-pandora devs will start dumping gentoo-pandora binaries in there as they are generated. Eventually I plan on making a Pandora portage overlay that will seamlessly allow any Gentoo Pandora to emerge the latest pre-compiled and pandora optimized binaries on their system. This will be almost identical to apt-get and rpm in use.

 

[Chip]

If you needed to, you could always try rapidsharing it or something like that...

I opened a mediafire account yesterday and the gentoo-arm-pandora devs will start dumping gentoo-pandora binaries in there as they are generated. Eventually I plan on making a Pandora portage overlay that will seamlessly allow any Gentoo Pandora to emerge the latest pre-compiled and pandora optimized binaries on their system. This will be almost identical to apt-get and rpm in use.


EvilDragon has offered GIT and subdomain hosting for any Pandora projects that need it. It looks like you guys are definately far enough along that you could benefit from a real project sharing setup. I suggest you PM him about it. Gentoo.openpandora.org is only a minor server config away

 

[viridior]

If you needed to, you could always try rapidsharing it or something like that...

I opened a mediafire account yesterday and the gentoo-arm-pandora devs will start dumping gentoo-pandora binaries in there as they are generated. Eventually I plan on making a Pandora portage overlay that will seamlessly allow any Gentoo Pandora to emerge the latest pre-compiled and pandora optimized binaries on their system. This will be almost identical to apt-get and rpm in use.


EvilDragon has offered GIT and subdomain hosting for any Pandora projects that need it. It looks like you guys are definately far enough along that you could benefit from a real project sharing setup. I suggest you PM him about it. Gentoo.openpandora.org is only a minor server config away



Thats great news! I would prefer to have hosting with the rest of the OpenPandora's resource vice spread out all over like we are now. I will definately send him a PM quickly.

To those interested: The gentoo-arm-pandora project devs have been able to consistantly generate a crossdev environment to develop a base image for the Pandora using Gentoo. We are actively working on patches and fixing bugs to be able to get boot-to-a-command-prompt. On the side we are developing patches to the main portage tree so Pandora specific software can be overlaid into the main software tree and emerging will be seamless. Of course the main goal is to establish a common and highly optimized base-line so we can pre-compile all the binaries and installation will be identical to those of you that are familiar with rpm and apt-get. We are in need of cross compiling testers! Eventually when the Pandora hardware is out we will of course need a lot of testers then too.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and support that we have received!

 

[viridior]

The documentation for the gentoo-arm-pandora project is now being hosted on http://gentoo.openpandora.org, much thanks to EvilDragon and Chips for taking notice of the project and encouraging us. I intend to get a wiki going shortly, please stop by.

 

[javaJake]

2008-11-27 (New Wiki, New Progress)
Viridior has gotten us a subdomain at openpandora.org, and set up a Wiki with a good set of plugins. Please be sure to check it out and let us know what you think. Just like this entire project, it's a WIP, so it'll be evolving a lot over the next week or so.

Viridior has also shot ahead in other areas: as I type this, he's working out a way to get a preliminary Gentoo image ready to go, for both QEMU and the real Pandora! He might even send the test image to a developer with a pre-release Pandora to see if it works. Things are moving so fast, there's a chance (albeit a small one) we'll have Gentoo ready to go the moment the Pandora ships! B)

I don't have nearly the energy or time Viridior has, so I don't have a whole lot I've added so far. I've recently developed a new Gentoo utility that allows us to view a profile in total, so we don't have to manually track down each of the profile's parents and their properties, and their parent's properties, and so on. It'll be available for download under the BSD license on the Wiki at some point.

 

[Cpasjuste]

Hi javaJake,

I'll get a dev unit next week, so i'll be able to test any build you need. I'll also probably help to get things up and running, as soon as i have the dev unit and have some time to spare.

Also note that i have a private 100Mb server with unimited BW and 160Gb hard drive, if it can help i see no problems.

See you.

 

[viridior]

the gentoo-arm-pandora project is looking for some more people, we have a variety of things that can be worked on depending on your time, resources, and knowledge...please contact me or javaJake if your interested

 

[viridior]

The gentoo-arm-pandora project has been putting together images for general testing and community feedback.
You can get the sources here:
minimal install: http://gentoo.openpandora.org/index.php/Ge...nimal-0.0.1_rc3
desktop install: http://gentoo.openpandora.org/index.php/Ge...ndora-0.0.1_rc3

[Things to note]
{configs} images are UNCONFIGURED, as more information comes out we will update the appropriate config files, they WILL NOT BOOT as they are now.
{kernel} based on pandora git sources from 12/06/08, uses omap3_pandora_defconfig
{system} base system is busybox, with addition packages (some of which install on top of busybox) to add functionality
{x.org} default xorg-server with metacity-1.0 installed on desktop image
{gentoo} uses custom pandora profile and CFLAGS="-march=armv7-a -mtune=cortex-a8 -mfpu=neon -mfloat-abi=softfp -fomit-frame-pointer -Os -pipe", toolchain is armv7a-softfloat-linux-gnueabi, check wiki for specific versions

If you are interested in the project and would like to contribute some insight, ask questions, or decide to join us in development please let me and javaJake know.

The project has not solidified all configs and variables, do not assume just because we are using any values now that we are not open to changing them if it 'improves' the system.

When more patches and software becomes available from the pandora-devs we plan on incorporating them into our builds.

As of now this software is untested on the actual pandora, please if you have the hardware and time let us now and we will work hard to reconfigure accordingly.

 

[viridior]

gentoo.pandora.devs are currently working on rc4...

[Priorities]
1. Configuration of packages
2. Solidify package base
3. Incorporate pandora-dev code where available
4. Hardware Testing
5. Establish gentoo-pandora portage packages
- Gentoo Patches for functionality
- Pandora Patches for hardware and interoperability
- Incorporate into compressed and easy to employ system (layman/squashfs?)

[Want to become Involved?]
If you are interested in seeing a specific program, function, or software suite that you can use on your personal operating system you are welcome to contribute/make recommendations.
1. Actively develop & configure your package and send us the info to be added into the gentoo-pandora portage tree {quick dissemination}
2. Send us the list of software you want to use and applicable config files. As we can, we will develop the ebuild and incorporate it into the genoo-pandora portage tree {first come, first serve... likely hours to days before being disseminated}
3. Send us a list of software that would be awesome on the pandora,... and nothing else. {we will try to accommodate you, but priorities are focused on optimization, functionality and stability... maybe it will be available the next "release"}

[I want to contribute, but I don't know if I can do anything useful...]
The gentoo-arm-pandora project has a very large swath of things that can be done with many different skillsets that are applicable. The gentoo.pandora.devs will try to focus your efforts based on your current level of knowledge, your desires, and items that need to be completed. We can use people with scripting, programming, gentoo portage ebuild structure, general linux, configuration support, and simple wiki entry experience. If you are just excited to be contributing something and have no experience I personally will help any way I can to see that you get started down the right path and assist/guide you as you need.

Please, contact us if your interested!

Very Respectfully,
Viridior

Contact Info
AIM: Viridior
IRC: Viridior@Freenode/Efnet
Freenode#openpandora
Freenode#gentoo-pandora
Efnet#pandoradev

 

[viridior]

Great News!

The gentoo.pandora.devs have been able to build enough of an image that we will be able to start exporting it to dev's with hardware for testing very soon. Checkout http://gentoo.openpandora.org and specifically http://gentoo.openpandora.org/index.php/Ge...ndora-0.0.1_rc4 to see our current base image software list.

This image is ONLY intended for basic functionality and use. You will be able to add your own software easily by using emerge <software name>. (We are using pre-compiled binaries) That means that you can use potentially anything in http://gentoo-portage.com/Browse

We will also have our own custom Gentoo Pandora Portage library for Pandora community projects and custom builds to maintain compatibility with the official distro release(s).

Please send me an PIM if you think there is some low-level software that you think should be added for connectivity, hardware, or functionality and if you have any questions on whether software X will be able to be used/installed.

 

[javaJake]

To add to viridor's announcement, here's our road-map prior to Pandora's shipment:

1. Finalize listing of packages and configurations pre-installed.
2. Try to create the same installation on an x86 system.
3. Test that installation, and edit the configuration and package listing as needed.
4. Apply the changes to the image, and send it to a developer with a Pandora for further testing.

Once we know this works, we'll begin preparation for our first release. I think (we've still yet to come to a decision on a lot of these niceties) we'll just start with a bootable image of Gentoo, with instructions on how to set it up for your own use, and how to keep SD writes to a minimum.

In future releases, we want to create scripts that, on first boot, guide the user through whatever steps they haven't already done on their own. We also want scripts that optionally check to be sure the environment is sane before allowing portage or other pre-installed, SD-write-intensive applications are allowed to continue.

More information to come as we, er, viridior further develop(s) Gentoo for Pandora. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

 

[notaz]

hm, http://gentoo.openpandora.org/index.php/Pandora-sources-0.1 says:

CODE

Linux Kernel Configuration: pandora-git-2.6.28_rc3

Processor type and features --->
Subarchitecture Type (PC-compatible)
Processor family (Pentium M)
[*] Generic x86 support



how did PC/x86 get there? Or is this a kernel to test on PC?

 

[viridior]

hm, http://gentoo.openpandora.org/index.php/Pandora-sources-0.1 says:

CODE

Linux Kernel Configuration: pandora-git-2.6.28_rc3

Processor type and features --->
Subarchitecture Type (PC-compatible)
Processor family (Pentium M)
[*] Generic x86 support



how did PC/x86 get there? Or is this a kernel to test on PC?


No, that was a wiki page that I never finished updating and used as a wiki placeholder. I have since updated the page with the current kernel config that we are using (which is probably a bit outdated from the one being actively developed by the pandora-devs). I will be updating the kernel again closer to the hardware release, but it does give you an idea of what is going to be enabled.

Respectfullly,
Viridior