[maemo-developers] hacker edition status and future?

[From: Joni Valtanen]

On Mon, 20 Aug 2007, Carlos Guerreiro wrote:

> ext Frantisek Dufka wrote:
>> Joni Valtanen wrote:
>> 
>>> Next version is coming as rootfs. There is no kernel updates.
>>> 
>> 
>> OK, this means hacking 2.6.16 kernel and backporting something makes sense. 
>> Alternatively time could be spent in making dual kernel booting situation 
>> working (IT2006 vs 2007 with newer kernel) so this answer helps to 
>> prioritize things, thanks :-)
>> 
>>
>> 
>>> Same components are used as in n800 version, but the kernel is older
>>> 2.6.16. There is lot of work if n800 version of the kernel is used.
>>> 
>> 
>> Yes but I hope you are not completely ditching n800 kernel for future 
>> hacker edition releases (if any).
>> 
>> If you are not planning this it would be nice to say so and also publish 
>> binary stuff needed to use newer kernels. First HE version had initfs that 
>> worked with newer kernels but it is not availabe anymore at
>> http://tablets-dev.nokia.com/os2007_hacker_edition.php The IT2006 one 
>> crashes in dsme early on boot with 2.6.18 which makes things really hard 
>> since the unstoppable (retu?) watchdog reboots device and also reading 
>> flags (like root device) from config partition with cal-tool is impossible 
>> without dsme running.
>> 
>> Frantisek
>> _______________________________________________
>> maemo-developers mailing list
>> maemo-developers at maemo.org
>> https://lists.maemo.org/mailman/listinfo/maemo-developers
>> 
> Hi Frantisek,
>
> The approach has been again to use the OS2006 initfs for the 770,
> including the old kernel.
> Indeed in the previous round we first tried to use a newer kernel
> but that turned out to cause many problems - Joni has the details.

Problems with 2.6.18 - if I remember right:

- dsp system was different
   - problems with sound and related programs
   - the biggest problem
- some user space programs needed more patching than with older
   kernel.
- problems with initfs: bme & cal-tool didn't work properly
- more problems that didn't come out
   - time to get everything work

But yes. 2.6.18 is possible to get work. but there is needed some 
dsp+kernel guru to do this. Using 2.6.26 is just faster way to get
goal.

There is old archive about for more information:
http://test.maemo.org/maemowiki/Os2007HackerEditionArchives

> We're close to releasing a new version of the hacker edition, at
> that point let's talk about this again. With that newer version
> working (userspace updated to the latest release for the N800
> as much as possible) we can reconsider the use of the old initfs.
>
> Cheers,
> Carlos
>
>

- Joni