Gp32 Emulation

[Tobriand]

If, for example, I were to try to install an MP3 player binary that was originally written for a Zaurus, could I expect that to work?

No. The cpu is not the only thing that's platform-specific.

Binary compatibility is hard to achieve and mostly useless in the embedded world (where specialisation of software is sometimes needed). Source compatibility, possible (changes usually are required).


Actually, I'm under the impression that, as a result of both the GP32 and GP2x Qtopia ports, that both consoles are (technially) binary-compatible with some devices... though I can't remember which ones.

One example of this can be found in the F300 mod thread. Note the web-browser is Opera. This was most assuredly not ported to the GP2x by the opera team. Which implies the GP2x is (partially?) binary compatible with at least the system for which that version of Opera was written. I'm just not sure which one that was!

 

[Blah]

Well if we didn't have to link statically due to GPH's shitty firmware, GP2X software would be binary compatible with the Pandora.

 

[Squidge]

Well if we didn't have to link statically due to GPH's shitty firmware, GP2X software would be binary compatible with the Pandora.

Only if everyone did no hardware hacking whatsoever, used SDL or a similar library (so the HID could be mapped appropriately, and so you had a HAL between the LCD, Sound/etc), and didn't didn't assume the position of any mount points, directories or executables.

However, we know that isn't the case for 90% of code, so not much GP2X software would be fully compatible even if it was dynamically linked (though I don't think programs attempting to exec /usr/gp2x/gp2xmenu would exactly hurt much and if the sd mount point is in the same place, we may be able to drop that percentage to about 60-80% *guessing* or so)

Most emulators however read hardware timers, read the buttons directly from the hardware (or read /dev/gpio), change the frame buffer pointers directly, and some even expect to use the blitter.