[GLLUG] Kernel Compile

[Ben Pfaff]

jo@groupinfo.com writes:

> On 14 Jul 2002 at 18:36, Ben Pfaff wrote:
> 
> > AIUI, GCC can cross-compile, but not well.  It's suitable for
> > bootstrapping new architectures, but not for everyday use.
> 
>   Err, that's news to us embedded developers. Some source/target
> combinations are flaky, some aren't, but I've certainly had no great
> trouble cross-compiling from x86 to MIPS and ARM. Building a cross-
> compiler from source is...fun, however :)

I don't remember the details, but I do remember that use of
cross-compilers has been proposed for Debian a few times.  We
have 11 architectures and for some of them being able to
cross-compile would be a huge advantage; e.g., for m68k it could
speed the build process immensely (I've heard that XFree86 takes
days to compile).  Each time it's come up, it's been rejected
because it's not reliable.  So I have no doubt that it works for
some architectures, but it can't be depended upon for random
combinations.
-- 
"I don't want to learn the constitution and the declaration of
 independence (marvelous poetry though it be) by heart, and worship the
 flag and believe that there is a god and the dollar is its prophet."
--Maarten Wiltink in the Monastery