Best hardware platform for native compiling...

[Gabriel Paubert]

On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 12:31:36PM +0200, David Jander wrote:
> On Tuesday 21 July 2009 11:52:51 you wrote:
> > On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 11:16:52AM +0200, David Jander wrote:
> > > For bigger systems we often run a debian-derived OS like Ubuntu, and many
> > > pieces are compiled natively on the target... just because it is easy and
> > > quick to do, and cross-compiling certain packages can be a real pain.
> > > But, a 400 MHz e300 core is not really fast for compiling, so I have been
> > > considering buying some sort of PowerPC-based system with a faster
> > > processor, just as a "build-server" (a G5 would do wonders I guess).
> > >
> > > It seems like the only real option is one of the smaller IBM Power
> > > servers, but that seems overkill to me. We also don't feel like buying
> > > some old second-hand Apple gear.
> > >
> > > Is there any other available and affordable platform that can be used to
> > > run linux and compile software natively for 32-bit PowerPC?
> >
> > Have a look at the YDL PowerStation:
> >
> > http://us.fixstars.com/products/powerstation/
> >
> > It is more or less a quad G5.
> 
> This looks great! Thanks a lot for the tip.
> I still have to figure out how to get one of these delivered to Europe, but 
> that shouldn't be such a big deal...

Well, I got one recently here in Spain. Shipping charges are fairly 
large (it's not exactly a light and compact machine). But the current 
dollar exchange rate helps ;-)

Now I have not yet found the way to install Debian on it
(it refuses to boot Debian's CDROM), but I have not had
time to investigate either.

	Regards,
	Gabriel