On 08/28/2017 08:46 AM, W. Martin Borgert wrote: > Quoting uhmgawa <uhmg...@member.fsf.org>: >> We probably should be leveraging a cross built embedded class distro which >> would place us in that mainstream and solve many of our logistical problems. > > As long as you have enough flash memory (some hundreds of MiB) and RAM > (at least 64 MiB, better 128 MiB), Debian runs fine on such hardware > in my experience. It depends on your applications, of course.
Available flash is from 32~64MB depending on platform. So manual subset of the distro id required and where recurring the effort enters the picture. > > Could you tell us something about your hardware and application? > ARM926EJ-S SoC with the usual assortment of peripherals, SPI flash for u-boot/kernel/userland 32~64MB in current product, 256~512MB DRAM. Pretty typical for a legacy arm32 embedded linux platform. The footprint complication primarily arises from the constraint to use SPI flash and its associated cost / minimal capacity. >> But support of that architecture >> was likely never more than a coincidental goal for non-embedded >> server/workstation distros. > > Debian is supposed to be the "universal operating system". I.e. it is for > server + workstation + embedded + whatever. This is different from most > other Linux distributions. I applaud that goal. But the approach of using a native arch build vehicle for the distro also introduces complication for embedded class development. Not insurmountable but additional compared to the cross-build approach typical of embedded linux distros. Note there was no technical motivation moving from a DEB to RPM based distro. But rather a special case where leverage of preexisting internal RPM build infrastructure is possible rather than dealing with that additional infrastructure and (self-inflicted) legal process associated the Debian option, or moreover the largely "drop in" use of Yocto/OE.
