* Robin Krens (rakrens@protonmail.com) wrote:
Dear CRUX-arm users, developers,
Hello Robin,
Over the last couple months, I have been playing around with CRUX-arm. One of things I noticed is the lack of a handbook or general approach for CRUX-arm. I'm aware of the difference with x86 and that there is no one size fits all solution. It could be the lack of documentation, but I think as of now, CRUX-arm goes against the main CRUX philosophy. The KISS principle, handbook and simple package management are, I think, the strong points of CRUX.
First of all thanks for your feedback and sorry about this late reply. I belive we can't compare KISS principle between these ARCHs... and more when each device, has its own SOC and its own boot/kernel development. Starting from this, keeping simple this distro is pretty hard. Keep in mind, than both distros (CRUX and CRUX-ARM) are source based, and there is no package management. In CRUX-ARM we are using the same ports tree than upstream, overlaying specific repositories for devices (and currently ARCH too 32b vs 64b).
For most supported boards, however, it seems it is impossible to redo/retrace the steps, compile a bootloader/kernel and have a basic working system. With "basic working system" here I mean something that boots and has basic funtionality (i.e. networking and usb storage). Referring to the x86 handbook (installation section) it just mentions how to enable some basic options???CONFIG_SATA_AHCI=y??? CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SD=y???CONFIG_EXT4_FS=y???to bring up your root filesystem. Maybe your graphics cards or webcam doesn't work. Doesn't matter. CRUX is targeted for the experienced user. They will figure it out.
Comparing this to the ARM branch of CRUX, most supported boards just provide a bootloader and kernel image. But I have no idea what these kernels are about. All kernel provided are built from our own (check the development section and you''ll see the kernels on the git tree). If a kernel isn't compiled from our, in the documentation section should be there information about where to get a
I'd like to know where is the point you are lost trying to redo/retrace the steps you have mentioned (compile bootloader and kernel probably are the easier ones). Cross compilation is a mess and I don't recommend any user to go from there, when there is a general image ready to be deployed to any device (and some optimized ones too). prebuilt one.
Are these basic configurations? Or are these copies from armbian just to work out of the box? Again, this could be a lack of documentation and misunderstanding on my side. But I would like to see a clearer approach. Maybe some devices on your board don't work, doesn't matter, at least it is more elegant. Again, I think CRUX is for the experienced user. Users that want a fullblown and fast working system, will swander off to armbian anyway.
This distro hasn't the same community than Debian, nor ARMbian... All people is free to use whatever distro they want... and the one fits their needs...
I would like to hear other people's opinions about the above mentioned points. Besides that, I willing to work on a general handbook for ARM.
A general handbook for ARM will be hard, since there are different bootloaders, different kernel developments (currently there are more supported upstream than time ago). P.D.: Thanks for your documentation about sunxi devices. It was added and I hope it will be for help to others.
Sincerely, Robin Krens
Regards, --- Victor Martinez Learning bit by bit | http://vjml.es