Subject: Re: Linux Compatibility
To: Bill Dorsey <dorsey@lila.com>
From: Simon Burge <simonb@wasabisystems.com>
List: port-alpha
Date: 09/30/2001 08:35:56
"Bill Dorsey" wrote:

> I have just successfully built a kernel with "options COMPAT_LINUX" and am in
> the process of setting up /emul/linux right now.  With any luck, the Compaq
> JRE and C/C++ compilers will work and I'll finally be able to run java programs
> and replace egcs with the Compaq compiler for a nice performance boost.

The last time I tried to use linux compatibility on my pc164 (with a
21164A CPU) I got unexplained mmu traps if I tried to compile anything
more substantial than a "Hello World" program.  I was never able to
track this problem down.  This was in April of this year.  I'd be
interested in reports of this working (or not) on other Alpha CPUs.

As Thor mentioned there's the ELF/ECOFF issues, so running the linux
compilers will make life much easier.  The linux compilers are also
available for free, whereas you can only get the DEC compilers from a
licenced box.

Simon.
--
Simon Burge                            <simonb@wasabisystems.com>
NetBSD CDs, Support and Service:    http://www.wasabisystems.com/