[OpenPower-Firmware] Dropping Power8 in op-build

[Artem Senichev]

On Thu, Jan 2, 2020 at 10:24 PM Stewart Smith <stewart at flamingspork.com>
wrote:

>
> > On 1 Jan 2020, at 23:26, Joel Stanley <joel at jms.id.au> wrote:
> >
> > Hello openpower firmware list,
> >
> > I maintain the buildroot overlay used in op-build, which normally
> > follows upstream releases. Buildroot 2019.05 was the last release with
> > GCC 6 support and hostboot for Power8 does not build with newer
> > versions of GCC, so in order to keep Power8 in the tree we've not
> > moved forward for some time now.
>
> It’d probably be good to tag a final op-build before cutting p8 off, as
> there are platforms still used and maintained (vesnin).
>

I would suggest to create a P8 branch in op-build, like it has been done
for OCC and hostboot.
Actually, we don't have any significant plans for P8, but as long as I have
to support our VESNIN platform I can also maintain this branch by merging
critical fixes from Skiboot, petitboot etc.


> I have a PR up for cutting out p8 that’s sat idle for months.
>
> > There is currently no one working on fixing hostboot. Without someone
> > stepping forward, we will have to drop support for building Power8
> > hostboot in op-build master.
> >
> > Meaningfully, this would mean removing the Power8 platforms. The
> > non-hostboot components (skiboot, the kernel, the rootfs) are
> > processor family agnostic, so the opal_defconfig could be used to
> > generate firmware for Power8 machines should there be a desire.
> >
> > The Hostboot codebase for Power8 is not changing. If you would like to
> > volunteer getting it building, once it builds the ongoing maintenance
> > would be minimal.
>
> It’s pretty unfortunate that nobody is able to keep it going as p8
> machines are coming up relatively cheaply now on the secondhand market.
>
> I am concerned that the same thing will happen to the p9 hostboot and
> friends as the next generation of chips come out.
>
> P9 has seen Talos II and Blackbird as good developer systems for people to
> get into the POWER ecosystem, and it would be good to continue to have that
> community grow with a good set of affordable second hand systems.
>
> > If no one steps up, I'll bump buildroot at the end of January
>
> Sounds reasonable. Although would suggest bumping sooner and if someone
> steps up then reverting the commit is also okay.
>
> Got a tree somewhere? I’m happy to try it out/build upon it.
>
--
Best regards,
Artem Senichev
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