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Re: Building embedded arm on a NSLU2



On Wed, 1 Aug 2007 14:22:51 +0200
Michelle Konzack <linux4michelle@freenet.de> wrote:

> > That will take longer. My first target is Gtk. So far, we don't have it
> > and lots of dependent libraries simply fail to cross-build. Fixing
> > those is a *lot* of work and fvwm will need most of those currently
> > problematic packages.
> 
> Why are you so fixed to crossbuildin?

My primary target device is an iPAQ - that cannot even install gcc, let
alone build anything. Others have devices that have even smaller
limits. Cross-building is the only solution for most Emdebian users
because it allows us to rework the Debian dependency tree to exclude
things (like perl) that simply will not fit.

If you have a machine capable of building native packages and you want
perl (or python, ruby or bash instead of dash or coreutils/debianutils
instead of busybox), you'll find it quicker to use a minimal Debian
install and optimise from there. perl is not only too big for Emdebian,
it also does not cross-build, yet.

> Would it no be better, if we can get it natively?

We can support both but my current focus is cross. I'd welcome patches
and extra packages that make native easier.

> > > The biggest problem is, to find the right Hardware/Software combination.
> > 
> > ? Right now there is very little software and plenty of hardware.
> 
> Rightm but if you buy the false Hardware, maybe the baseinstall of
> Emdebian is working on it, but can you be sure, it can run Xorg with
> fvwm?

Probably not. At least not soon.

> Sometimes I have found realy curios problems where all is working fine
> except ONE key-application. 

Try a couple of dozen key applications - some of which are
interdependent and most of which are related to X11. (Details on the
Emdebian Wiki.)

For your situation, I'd think that dpkg-filtering or some similar
method is all you need. As you only want native packages and you have a
device that can cope with a complete Debian install, I'm not sure you
need Emdebian at all. You could simply do a minimal Debian install,
throw away /usr/share/doc and most of /usr/share/locale and gain a
whole lot of storage space.

-- 


Neil Williams
=============
http://www.data-freedom.org/
http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/
http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/

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