ppc platform for AMCC-440EPx - ELDK to the rescue

[Josh Boyer]

On Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:08:03 -0400
Steve Heflin <sheflin at newagemicro.com> wrote:

>  FINALLY the 
> early debugging console output worked, which doesn't work at all 
> using the powerpc platform (and yes, I had the correct port address 
> configured). 

It should work.  It did when the board support was first brought in to
arch/powerpc. If it doesn't now, I consider that a regression that needs
fixing, at least for Sequoia itself.
 
> Looking back at the powerpc platform, I don't see how to disable the 
> Host Bridge initialization without disabling the entire PCI 
> bus.  This board does have 2 devices hooked on the PCI bus, just no 
> need for a Host Bridge.

As Scott said, how would you talk to any PCI device without the host
bridge being configured and enabled?

> Also, I fail to see what the DTS virtualization layer of the hardware 
> buys us. When debugging, it's so much harder to use than the ppc 
> platform's straight forward and standard methodologies.  I can't 

There are tradeoffs, yes.

> understand to goal to eliminate the ppc platform, especially given 
> the fact that DENX's ELDK is still using it with Linux 2.6.24.2 !!

The ELDK uses both arch/ppc and arch/powerpc.  I consider them quite
reasonable people, and foresee them eventually switching to
arch/powerpc over time.  In fact, their efforts are a large part of the
continued progress of 4xx on arch/powerpc.

josh