Source

[Rayek]

since there was a big stink about wether or not gph would release thier source or not, and since they have, what are devs doing with it? i'd just like to know what difference this makes, if it makes it easier to write programs for the unit, or if people are doing complete rewrites!

 

[mr.mirko]

since there was a big stink about wether or not gph would release thier source or not, and since they have, what are devs doing with it? i'd just like to know what difference this makes, if it makes it easier to write programs for the unit, or if people are doing complete rewrites!

​

First of all, the used Linux 2.4 core is old, and not optimal for embedded system.
Kernel 2.6 is a lot better in performance,latency, and memory ussage.

So a first use of the source, is to port all needed 2.4 kernel things to 2.6, and compile a 2.6 kernel for the gp2x.

Also setting up a newer system on the gp2x is a must have. A new glibc, libgcc, and so on... would result on step 1. ( gph source not needed )
Now sitting on the new system, we can now recompile GPH source ( mediaplayer ). To run on the new system.

They are not rleasing the source, to show us, how nice they can code, they MUST release it, usable or not.

 

[Rayek]

right... but the reason they've made it open-source is so we can do stuff with it, improve it, update it, etc. my question wasn't flaming, in fact i was quite pissed myself that they didn't relase it when they should've. but not because the lisence said that they should've, but because i thought it was hindering independent development. i'm now trying to figure out what development is ensuing because the source is now available.

but knowing that an unnamed someone (unless it's you ) is working on rewriting the gp2x kernel to linux 2.6 core for better performance actually makes me happy. makes me think that there's a point to all the threats of sueing.

 

[tengen]

finally released the source, did they? awesome

 

[codesmith]

First of all, the used Linux 2.4 core is old, and not optimal for embedded system.
Kernel 2.6 is a lot better in performance,latency, and memory ussage.

​

My understanding is that this won't be much use, because the SD card uses a closed source driver, and you can't take a 2.4 binary driver and just plug it into a 2.6 kernel. In other words, the kernel will work but you won't have SD support so the gp2x will be a lot less useful. Is that still the case?

 

[Rayek]

finally released the source, did they? awesome

​

yes, they did... i don't think they have released all of it yet (i might be wrong) but view the progress here for news/updates, etc.

 

[Rayek]

is noone else doing anything with this? i'm surprised.

 

[reallynotnick]

Well are we going to have a bunch of unoffical gp2x versions floating around? I don't want that to happen, hopfully people can give there updates to gph and they will include it in the next offical update. It would be a mess with all of these hacks otherwise.

 

[Chip]

Well are we going to have a bunch of unoffical gp2x versions floating around? I don't want that to happen, hopfully people can give there updates to gph and they will include it in the next offical update. It would be a mess with all of these hacks otherwise.

​

It wasn't a big deal with the various official / unofficial GP32 firmwares.

Recompiling a new kernel is not a small thing to do. It's not like everybody and thier brother will be making their own build. Even if they do, and it ends up like the xbox scene with new dashboard builds being released twice a week, it's still not a bad thing. Lots of people experimenting means it's more likely somebody will come out with the improvements that YOU want. Choice is never a bad thing, and you still have the choice of not using any "hacked" OS.

 

[Rayek]

Well are we going to have a bunch of unoffical gp2x versions floating around? I don't want that to happen, hopfully people can give there updates to gph and they will include it in the next offical update. It would be a mess with all of these hacks otherwise.

​

It wasn't a big deal with the various official / unofficial GP32 firmwares.

Recompiling a new kernel is not a small thing to do. It's not like everybody and thier brother will be making their own build. Even if they do, and it ends up like the xbox scene with new dashboard builds being released twice a week, it's still not a bad thing. Lots of people experimenting means it's more likely somebody will come out with the improvements that YOU want. Choice is never a bad thing, and you still have the choice of not using any "hacked" OS.

​

agreed. example: linux distros.

any new gp2x file systems, etc will have to be compatible with the original software, and if they aren't... then people are just shooting themselves in the foot and noone will download their 'unofficial' update. so nothing bad will happen from this. only good will come out of having more things available.

 

[Digitalrat]

It wasn't a big deal with the various official / unofficial GP32 firmwares.

gp32-firmwares didn't have anything to do with compability as they weren't much more than a launcher, but it's a different thing if you change linux completly..