On Wed, 20 May 2020 at 09:45, François Ozog <[email protected]>
wrote:

>
>
> Le mer. 20 mai 2020 à 17:37, Daniel Thompson <[email protected]>
> a écrit :
>
>> On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 08:59:04AM -0600, Simon Glass wrote:
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > On Tue, 19 May 2020 at 20:34, Frank Rowand <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>> > >
>> > > Hi Heinrich,
>> > >
>> > > On 5/16/20 8:46 AM, Heinrich Schuchardt wrote:
>> > > > On 5/15/20 7:10 AM, François Ozog wrote:
>> > > > <snip>
>> > > >>     Would the topic of dynamic parts of device trees deserve two
>> slides on
>> > > >>     our next meeting?
>> > > >>
>> > > >> This is a key topic that probably deserves more than two slides.
>> Please
>> > > >> prepare a presentation as you deem fit .
>> > > >>
>> > > >
>> > > > You can find my ideas about why device trees are not static here:
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> https://github.com/xypron/dte/blob/master/Device%20Trees%20Are%20Not%20Static.pdf
>> > >
>> > > There is some useful information on what you highlight in the
>> "Conclusion" slide at
>> > > the 2016 Linux Plumbers conference.  The slides that were used in the
>> specific
>> > > session are at:
>> > >
>> > >    https://elinux.org/images/9/99/Dt_hw_config_policy.pdf
>> > >
>> > > The discussion of the slides was captured on etherpad in the section
>> labeled
>> > > "Device Tree: Hardware Description vs. Configuration vs. Policy by
>> Frank Rowand"
>> > > at:
>> > >
>> > >    https://elinux.org/Device_tree_plumbers_2016_etherpad
>> >
>> > Good to see these slides, and Heinrich's are a good cover of the
>> > problem I think.
>> >
>> > I don't have anything much to say but look forward to the discussion.
>> > It seems that the 'hard line' about describing 'only hardware' in the
>> > DT might be softening, and if so, that it all to the good IMO.
>> >
>> > I like the term bootloader as it is well understood and it is what
>> > U-Boot does.
>>
>> The big problem with the term bootloader is that is also the B in
>> GRUB.
>>
> I started to use the term “pivot function” (from what is considered
> firmware and whatever payload). The pivot function can be offered by
> U-Boot, LinuxBoot, Xen when they are BL33 payload. BL33 is TF-A specific so
> that’s why I sought another term. The booted payload can be an
> EFIBootloader (EFIbootguard), à generic boot loader (grub), shim, directly
> Linux.
>

Sounds reasonable.


>
>> In other words when we talk about bootloaders (without some prefix) then
>> it is ambiguous whether we describe part of the system firmware or an
>> EFI payload provided by the OS.
>>
>
I hadn't thought of that. But even U-Boot can operate as a payload of
something else - e.g. Slim bootloader. U-Boot is generally described as a
bootloader. It's just that it can extend from the reset vector to the OS
start, or not, depending on the circumstances.

So by Francois' definition, the U-Boot bootloader is both firmware and a
payload, which seems a bit confusing. But I suppose it is accurate.

- Simon


>
>>
>> > 'Firmware' is so generic that it could apply to the
>> > touchscreen firmware. But I suppose I use the term 'firmware' for all
>> > the firmware in the device, including the whole AP firmware image -
>> > bootloader, signatures, binary blobs, etc. Perhaps that is what you
>> > are saying.
>>
>> I guess the major benefit of firmware is that at least most people know
>> that it is ambiguous! Thus when the distinction really matters people
>> typically adopt the "system firmware" terminology often found in the
>> UEFI spec.
>
>
>>
>> As it happens the EBBR spec is pretty relaxed and makes heavy use of
>> firmware without any prefix. Perhaps it might benefit from defining
>> it (the UEFI Glossary definition of "firmware" makes little sense
>> on many embedded systems).
>>
>>
>> Daniel.
>>
> --
> François-Frédéric Ozog | *Director Linaro Edge & Fog Computing Group*
> T: +33.67221.6485
> [email protected] | Skype: ffozog
>
>
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