Re: kernel-2.4.2-rmk1 unable to load init/gettys on netwinder

[Philip Blundell <philb@gnu.org>]

>Yup; you need to enable NetWinder FPU emulation for the
>kernel to work at all (I'm not sure why that's a compilation
>option, actually).

Back in the dark ages or so, there was an alternative (closed source) floating 
point emulator from Acorn.  It used to be possible to boot the system far 
enough without floating point that you could then insert the emulator as a 
module.  Maybe some people still even use this, I don't know.

Nowadays there are different reasons to keep NWFPE as an option: you can 
select `FASTFPE' instead, or you might have a userland that doesn't need FPA 
emulation at all, in which case NWFPE is just a waste of kernel memory.  In 
fact there is a discussion taking place even now on the armlinux-toolchain 
list about how we might consign FPA to the great recycle bin in the sky.

p.