Re: PowerPC request for help
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On Thu, 11 May 2006 22:28:39 +0200
Frans Pop <elendil@planet.nl> wrote:
> Hello Daniel,
>
> Sorry for not replying sooner. Preparations for Debconf (and after
> arrival there the networking problems at Debconf) are the main reasons for
> the delay.
No problem; I was busier than I expected after I first wrote my note
too. I have time now, and will be getting up to speed on my backlog of
d-i and d-powerpc email, the d-i build process etc. First though is to
take detailed notes as I install, using both the current normal build,
and the miboot-enabled build I noticed Colin has started doing (which,
once it's working, will probably take care of the biggest concern for
powerpc d-i, which has been the lack of a dfsg-free way to bootstrap an
oldworld mac).
>
> On Thursday 04 May 2006 00:15, Daniel Dickinson wrote:
> > I'm interested in actually contributing to d-i (finally), and I
> > noticed that you've put out a request for the PowerPC
> > architecture. As I only have a single StarMax 3000/160 I probably
> > can't help with the entire arch, but I can help with Old World Mac
> > (and clones, obviously, since the StarMax is a Motorola mac clone
> > from the period when apple gave there blessing to such
> > endeavours). I have a fair level of script and C knowledge, but no
> > experience with kernel, or deb/udeb packaging. I have been working
> > on boot disks for i386 (from scratch, and I don't mean cookbook
> > LFS-type from scratch), so I have a fairly good understanding of
> > the linux boot process (though I still have to learn mac-specific
> > parts).
>
> Your help is very welcome and the skills you list look like an
> excellent=20 base. Udeb packaging is not all that different from
> normal packaging and=20 we can help with any questions you may have.
I haven't done packaging either (I'm not a DD), but I have used equivs,
played around with local builds of aptitude.
> Either ask on #debian-boot=20 (freenode) or on the list.
irc.freenode.net? (I haven't used irc in at least ten years, and even
then I never used it much)
Also, when is the debian-installer monthly meeting?
> The paper for my talk at debconf about d-i internals [1] may help you
> get=20 started.
Between that and the wiki I think I'll be mostly okay for getting
started.
> > (In fact I am trying to solve a d-i
> > problem for getting floppies with 2.6 kernels, within the d-i way;
> > so far I've gotten it to work non-d-i by using the ramdisk_xx kernel
> > parameters, but I haven't yet managed to get a small enough
> > initramfs).
I should clarify that this particular note was for i386.
> > I would be best able to help with a more experienced mentor, and
>
> =46or general d-i issues we will be glad to help. For some powerpc
> specific= =20
> issues Colin may be able to help, but otherwise I guess you'll find
> more=20 expertise on the debian-powerpc mailing list. Also Sven has
> already=20 offered his help, which should be very valuable.
>
> > probably my initial role would be (on Old World PPC Macs & Clones)
> > to test the installer regularly (weekly, semiweekly, daily?),
> > tracking installation reports, and reproducing, tracing, and (where
> > knowledge allows) resolving bugs.
>
> That's great. Testing the installer should only be needed on at most
> a=20 weekly basis. Most needed is to test after major changes, like
I'm booking time for twice weekly, starting Wednesday.
> after a=20 switch to a new kernel.
> Regular tests however also help to identify issues that are caused
> outside= =20
> d-i, but for example affect debootstrap (base system installation) or
> the=20 installation of tasks.
>
> A report on the current status of the installer for oldworld with a
> list=20 of issues would be very welcome.
Booked for tomorrow (Tuesday).
> No problem. The daily builds are already taken care of.
>
> Holger Levsen (CCed) also offered help with oldworld (on IRC), so I=20
> suggest you two coordinate and exchange experiences.
>
> If you would like commit access to the d-i SVN repository, please let
> us=20 know your alioth account name.
I don't have an alioth account, and, to be honest, I'd rather vet my
patches, at least at first. Either that, or have a separate branch that
only gets merged to trunk after confirmation by an actual d-i person.
TTYT,
Daniel
- --
And that's my crabbing done for the day. Got it out of the way early,
now I have the rest of the afternoon to sniff fragrant tea-roses or
strangle cute bunnies or something. -- Michael Devore
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