Hi,

I have been following the netsukuku project for awhile now and I really like
the idea of it.  The biggest downside for me of trying it out was having to
install Stackless Python.

I really like the idea of this project switching to Vala. I have been
playing with Vala for a few months now and I am liking the language and what
it can do. I'd like to help out with small tasks with converting this
project to Vala, but I'm still very much a Vala newbie.

I look forward to hearing more about this.

Matt Harrison

On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 12:21 PM, Luca Dionisi <[email protected]>wrote:

> I have encountered many problems [and did not succeed yet] in making
> Python Stackless work correctly in ARM or MIPS architectures.
> Even admitting that it is possible, the python interpreter itself is
> quite memory consuming. This makes many/most embedded devices out of
> luck for netsukuku.
>
> The main points in favor of using Stackless instead of C, at least for
> me, have been:
>  - fast prototyping
>  - co-routine support (that is, tasklets in stackless terminology)
>
> Recently I have made some research on alternatives. The first
> requirement of course was support of co-routines.
> The most portable framework for this support is GNU Pth. [0]
>
> The second requirement was a good-enough high-level language that
> could allow the developer to focus on functional details.
> And possibly have a near one-to-one mapping of the features of python
> interpreter that we mostly used in our program.
> I think Vala does. [1]
> And it has many good points over other languages. It has modern
> features while producing old style C API/ABI compatible machine code.
>
> Long story short, I started to organize the basis for a port of
> current python implementation of netsukuku to Vala.
> The first task was producing a binding (vapi file) for the Pth
> library. I made one that does the job for what we need - could be
> improved, though.
>
> Right now there is a working implementation of tasklets ("microfunc"
> in our python code) scheduling, switching, inter-communication
> (Channels in our python code) and events (for free in Vala as
> signals).
> I promise to post updates soon when I can make some tests on my little
> mipsel-based router. [2]
>
> Soooo, to get to the point.
> This work is not going to be quick and simple. Any help with the
> development is welcome, especially right now or soon.
> I could organize the work and assign little tasks to anyone that has
> some expertise on vala.
> I am a vala newbie myself.
> Knowledge of python is not a requirement, because reading the old code
> is quite straightforward and one can ask when in doubt.
> Knowledge of current workings of netsukuku is not a requirement
> either. Sure, it could help. But I would assign very specific tasks
> and coordinate the rest, so that also "new entry" developers can help
> a lot.
>
> Have a look at the initial code [3] and please get involved!
>
> --Luca
>
>
> [0] http://www.gnu.org/software/pth/
> [1] http://live.gnome.org/Vala
> [2] http://www.omnima.co.uk/store/catalog/Embedded-controller-p-16140.html
>        and a review here:
>
> http://www.kelvinsthunderstorm.com/omnima-embedded-controller-and-openwrt/
> [3]
> http://dev.hinezumi.org/browser/netsukuku/sandbox/lukisi/branches/multipleip/valantk
> _______________________________________________
> Netsukuku mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://lists.dyne.org/mailman/listinfo/netsukuku
>
_______________________________________________
Netsukuku mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.dyne.org/mailman/listinfo/netsukuku

Reply via email to