But, we might be getting to the point where we actually need a cooker
extranet. For example, I would like to be able to remove build output on
an automated build host to get a package rebuilt, but we wouldn't want
anyone to be able to remove build output ...
It seems installer need works on sparc/alpha; Guillaume Cottenceau seems to
agree about working on port be he need a computer to test, of course.
About network, I have an athlon as frontend which host chroot for plf, it have
lot of disk space, host unique home/repository for all development
(i586/ppc/sparc).
I've got a ix86 box as frontend. Mirrors directly off of mdk. It's
behind a cablemodem (down: 1.5Mbit, up 128kbit). I've got a second ix86
in an Internet datacentre doing nothing at the moment.
About buildoutput, I have a personnal script to rebuild package on ppc/sparc.
log are put in a directory, maybe we can a unique repository where all
rebuilder can upload automatically those files. With a standard convention
naming for automatically removing obsoletes log.
I suggest we merge the scripts in the near future.
Well, SPARC's (and at some point Alpha and Opteron 240 SMP) at CSC are on
private network behind 9.1 i586 box. I can't see anything that should stop
us from creating the extranet and have the builds automated and
coordinated. Some centralised user authentication might be a good idea at
some point if we have more developers.
The only drawback would be probably the fact, that single development
machines without dedicated front-end might need some more work to
configure everything, but I think that it'll be worth it.
Stefan? Olivier? Gwenole? What do you think?
At the moment, to my knowledge we have the following machines _dedicated_
to non-intel cooker development (please, developers, fill in all blanks):
Alpha
- 2 x XP1000 - CSC still 7.1b - need help with this
- 1 x PWS433au - Stefan Van Der Eijk
- 1 x PCI33 - mpol
- 1 x ??? - Juan
- 1 x DP264 - Paris office (same as Juan's?)
- others?
SPARC
- 1 x SparcStation 10 SMP - Olivier Thauvin
- 1 x SparcClassic - CSC (unused - 32 bit system)
- 2 x Ultra 10 - CSC
- 1 x Ultra 5 - CSC
- others?
PPC
- 1 x Titanium G4 500, 512 Mo Ram - Olivier Thauvin
- others?
x86_64
- 1 x Dual Opteron 240 - CSC (ETA 15 days)
- others?
PA-RISC
- 1 x HP 9000 D-class model D390/800 - Stefan van der Eijk (on loan
during the summer)
I have one HP box but don't know if linux can run on it. Will looking.
I booted the debian installer on it yesterday. So it should run Linux.
The box has 2* 8200 CPU's (240MHz, 4Mb cache each), 1Gb RAM and 2* 9Gb
disk. And it's huge (60*26*55cm) & heavy (45kg). I wasn't seriously
thinking about porting mdk to it. The plan was to install debian and
hand it back to it's owner (the local scouting group) but since they
don't need it till after the summer, I might try mdk anyway :-)
MIPS
- 1 x SGI IRIS Indigo - Stefan van der Eijk (RAM defect?)
This box is probably too slow to do anything usefull.
I think, that only computers solely dedicated (i.e. not used in any other
way) may be listed here and eventually included in the extranet.
Because CSC uses Mandrake on all workstations and servers, and we're very
happy with it (kudos to both cooker and core development teams!) our
position is to support development of the distribution by providing
hardware and network resources in return. Naturally we're aware that
hosting the machines is serious commitment (especially sustaining the
support over time) and we're ready to fulfil it.
Maybe if we manage to pull this off before 9.2 and have all the packages
rebuilt, MandrakeSoft will be interested in releasing 9.2 for i586,
x86_64, Alpha, Sparc64 and PPC?
<IMHO>
Releasing means supporting. supporting a product requires an
organisation and knowledge being available. It also needs to be
worthwhile --> bring some $$$ to the company. For the alpha, mips,
pa-risc and sparc the market is too small.
Right, but look at ppc, mandrake exactly the same product as you can find on
mirror ( 3 isos ). Mandrake never make somethings to promote the distro on
non i586.
They can't --> they won't have the resources to support it and it won't
be profitable.
I think making an installable distro for sparc/alpha/ppc will make publicity
and prove a mandrake activity.
Perhaps.
Since I'm more or less the maintainer of the alpha port, I've had some
interesting discussions with mdk employees on this topic. I don't have
the illusion that the alpha port will ever turn into a "product" that
will be supported and even bring revenue to mdk. I see it as my personal
research project --> I want to prove that maintaining multiple ports can
be done efficiently...
</IMHO>
Well maybe I can explain why I restart sparc ports:
- I like play
- I like to works on non standards things.
Is it usefull, not sure ;)
Wouldn't it be the first commercial
distribution (in couple of years) that allows to run the same system
across 5 architectures?
We'll have to see... :-)
It would even be nice if we (the community) can maintain these ports and
learn a bit & have some fun...
Fully agree
:-)
Comments/ideas anyone?
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