[Cbe-oss-dev] Debian for PS3?

[Sven Luther]

On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 07:09:23PM +0100, Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> 	Hi,

Hi Geert, will you be at fosdem again this year, we can meet there and
discuss ? 

> Although it's been possible to install Debian on PS3 since a long time (cfr.
> http://www.keshi.org/moin/PS3/Debian/Live, or you could just use plain
> debootstrap), there's no official support for PS3 in Debian yet.
> 
> So I downloaded debian-testing-powerpc-netinst.iso (dated 2008-02-20), booted
> it using a self-compiled kernel and /install/powerpc/initrd.gz from the ISO
> image, and installed Debian on the PS3's hard disk without any glitches!

You need to wait for the newer version with the 2.6.24 kernel. I
provided the patches for it, but was expulsed from the debian kernel
team when trying to work on this. And anything coming from me is seen
with suspicion.

Maximilian attems recently told aurelien gerome, that sure, as long as
the patches didn't come from me, they would be acceptable. As you may
know, i lent the ps3 to aurelien, so he could help the work on this.

> Hence what's missing?
> 
>   - PS3 kernel support
> 
>       o Although there's now full PS3 support in plain 2.6.24 (except for
> 	wireless), the 2.6.24 kernel images in sid have PS3 support turned off.
> 	Enabling PS3 support should be a matter of changing the existing
> 	powerpc64 config, or adding a new one.

These bugs are relevant :

  http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=462529

and :

  http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=439006

especially the second would need external input so that the technical
committe doesn't continue ignoring the issue, and at least have the
decency to reply.

>       o A modular kernel may need updates to some scripts to make sure all
>         required modules are loaded?

This is indeed something needed on the d-i side. Notice that there is
currently a flamewar going on between the sad remains of the kernel team
and the d-i team over the kernel .udebs, which may be a partial response
to this.

>       o The kernel in debian-testing-powerpc-netinst.iso is still 2.6.22, but
> 	as I had to compile my own kernel anyway, this doesn't matter much.

The etch+0.5 release should be based at least on the 2.6.24 kernel, and
there is a d-i beta2 previsted nextly. Ideally someone would push the
kernel team to make sure the 2.6.24 kernel is ps3 ready, but it can't be
me. I was not even credited for the efika patches i provided for 2.6.24
:(

>   - PS3 Boot loader support
> 
>       o There's no PS3 bootloader (otheros.bld) in Debian, which means you have
> 	to use e.g. the one from the PS3 Linux Distributor's Starter Kit.  To
> 	include an otheros.bld, e.g. kboot should be packaged, including the
> 	infrastructure to build an otheros.bld.
>       o Apart from this, there's no support in the installer for setting up
> 	/etc/kboot.conf.

Aurelien planed to work on it.

>   - PS3 utility packages:
>       o ps3-utils (new package; an older version is already packaged by Ubuntu
> 	as ps3pf-utils)
> 
>   - Generic Cell support packages:
>       o New packages (already packaged by Ubuntu):
> 	  . ppu-binutils
> 	  . ppu-g++
> 	  . ppu-gcc
> 	  . ppu-gdb
> 	  . ppu-gfortran
> 	  . ppu-gnat
> 	  . spu-binutils
> 	  . spu-g++
> 	  . spu-gcc
> 	  . spu-gdb
> 	  . spu-gfortran
> 	  . spu-newlib
> 	  . spu-tools
> 	  . cell-gcc-testsuite
> 	  . cell-programming-primer
> 	  . cell-sdsk
> 	  . libspe2
> 	  . libspe2-dev
> 	  . libspe2-doc
>       o Updated packages (already present in Ubuntu):
> 	  . spufs support in initscripts (mountkernfs.sh)
> 
> What do you think?

Yes, this is all nice stuff, sadly, with the witch hunt against me, i
can't do anything, and even if i provide patches or otherwise work on
this, there are more chances for me to get hurt because of this, so i
guess those interested in the PS3 port need to either voice their
opposition of debian's current fascist behaviour of hate, rejection,
censorship and repression, or do the work themselves.

Please bounce this mail to debian-powerpc, as i am being censored on all
debian mailing lists and irc channels.

> Thanks for your feedback!

Friendly,

Sven Luther