Nishanth' tech rambles

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Here is what a friend of mine Jayan John has to say (reposted with permission) on a discussion on various processor variants today in Cellphone business. The relevant debate may not be “standalone baseband processors” vs”SOC", but whether or not SOC is the best option... Why ? Quote: “Convergence in the industry of computing capabilities and communication protocols has resulted in the development of devices with enhanced functionalities and capabilities. Providing a range of functions at a low cost while maintaining the reliability and compatibility of existing systems and devices is a major challenge today. As devices become more complex with numerous features, it is of prime importance to find out ways to extract more power from the batteries". With this in mind, choosing the right level of integration is a difficult decision. To make this interesting… Read Texas Instruments vs Philips back in 2005 ( http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=159901628 ...

Here are some interesting news articles in recent days: Appilcation processors are dead ? http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9250186181.html -> that'd be painful... ;) Broadcom : http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9797486-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5 Cnet has some details though not radical http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8838596703.html - that is some indepth info.. Should the world tremble? Colored printk : http://kerneltrap.org/Linux/Colored_printk_Output i like jazzy stuff.. mebbe i will steal this for uboot v2??...

So, I am on a slow roll on uboot2 changes for OMAP.. uboot 2 is lot less mature as it can be seen digging into the code, but it is most promising. The main reason I want to jump on uboot2 is that omap support is very nascent here, and lots can be done.. Some areas of concern: * i2c seems pretty unclear * I like the dev concept, but should modules of OMAP be also dev based? I dont think so.. generic modules - yes..i2c etc.. * on dev -> it looks very immature considering that include/driver.h has: 45 struct driver_d { 55 ssize_t (*erase) (struct device_d*, size_t count, unsigned long offset); 56 int (*protect)(struct device_d*, size_t count, unsigned long offset, int prot); 59 void (*info) (struct device_d *); Errrr... erase,protect,info ?? that is flash type device struct rt? it does not fit into a generic driver structure.. * I dont like the fact that there is still a config.h (include/configs/xyz.h SYMLINKed to include/config.h) which makes NO sense to me.. on...

Ok today I had a look of Makefile.. Denx supports a unified make file unlike the strategy in kernel. There are some interesting snippets of code in the same. In short, we could have something for configs as follows: _ _ _config Where, SiliconName = omap2420, omap3430,et.al. boardName = sdp,osk,apollon etc Special = Boot Mode -> e.g. nand/onenand or defined boot mode for that platform. Now, should i have es versions??? 3430 es1 and es2 are different enough to have two code definitions? One thing I don’t agree to : u-boot.arm/doc/README.ARM-SoC cpu/$(CPU)/$(SOC)/ does not facilitate re-use -> coz I might want to reuse across arm versions.. and this does not let me do it.. I am getting diverted again -> this time it is U-boot v2!!!! cg-clone http://www.denx.de/git/u-boot-v2.git/ u-boot.v2 let me see what sacha has got...

Where are the files? u-boot.arm is what i am basing myself on. Directory : u-boot.arm/lib_arm/ Description: ARM specific library function implementation Files: armlinux.c _ashrdi3.S cache.c _divsi3.S _modsi3.S _umodsi3.S _ashldi3.S board.c div0.c Makefile _udivsi3.S Contains: some important (if I may use such a word - all look important): bootm implementation, banner display cache functions start_armboot Directory :/u-boot.arm/cpu/arm1136 Description: ARM1136 CPU specific logic. This is kind of common for most part. I can see that ARM integrator and 2420 are the two folks using this so far at least.. Files: config.mk cpu.c interrupts.c Makefile start.S Contains: start.s is the basic starting point of the boot process.. __start is where the code starts the boot.. So... after almost an year and a half of CCS assembly, I need to brush up the GNU ARM Assembly.. i got it somewhere.. hmm.. Ref: GNU ARM Assembly Quick Reference Guide: http://www.microcross.com/GNU-ARM-Assy-Quick-Ref.pdf An I...

I am starting off with a fresh OMAP port of uboot . Nothing is proper unless i answer some of my questions.. Why Do this? * The main reason of doing this is coz I am sick and tired of crappy code and repatch folks have been doing.. and am hoping that I can do a clean reuse for OMAP platform * U-boot is largely ignored for maybe the lack of fame and fortune stuff, but I kinda like it at the moment, coz it reminds me the first line of code i wrote for 2430 port.. it was in uboot .. on virtual platform. kind of presilicon . pressures were high, could never do a clean job then.. here is a chance to get things right.. * I am kind of tired doing my "project" work * My wife is getting busy for her exams and other than an hour's walk, I wont get troubled much for a week at least (I hope ;) ). What is my plan? I am hoping to integrate a lot of modules and avoid repetitions where possible.. e.g.: why have multiple board file for each of omap 2420 platforms? GPMC as an example...

cordic algo seems pretty powerful: http://www.ddj.com/embedded/196700769 C Code for the same: http://my.execpc.com/~geezer/embed/cordic.c Now to see if VFP and Neon support can handle float ops.. never tried it so far... Hmm...

Damn... they killed my template!!!!!! by the way, USB 3.0 is out!!! here is more what my friend passed on: USB 3.0 ---------- Superspeed Personal USB interface 10 times faster than the present USB optimized for low power and improved protocol efficiency USB 3.0 ports and cabling will be designed to enable backward compatibility as well as future-proofing for optical capabilitie USB 3.0 specification is expected by the first half of 2008 Intel, HP, NEC, NXP, TI, Microsoft are the 3.0 promotors Ref: http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20070918comp.htm http://focus.ti.com/docs/pr/pressrelease.jhtml?prelId=sc07155

Brain dead Windows Vista says: C:\Users\XYZ>ipconfig /release The requested operation requires elevation. Zen and the art of higher conciousness in Vista??? or is it yogic powers?? XP used to be down to earth like us common folks.. ;)

It is interesting to see http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2766418755.html .. if windriver manages to get taken over by IBM, do we see a better set of patches coming the opensource way? i'd say there'd be finally a good competition to Montavista in embedded support sphere Keep track of kernel developments... if u track kernel trap like me.. u'd want this too in ur list: http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/Linux_Weather_Forecast

With Denx opening the gates on Dat's Das Uboot, it is kind of interesting to see how things will flow on the "much belated" uboot push into the uboot official tree. For those interested: Uboot home page: http://www.denx.de/wiki/UBoot Custodians: http://www.denx.de/wiki/UBoot/Custodians ARM custodian is:Peter Pearse ARM Tree weblink: http://www.denx.de/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=u-boot/u-boot-arm.git;a=summary How to pull a uboot git: http://www.denx.de/wiki/UBoot/CustodianGitTrees Patch status: http://www.denx.de/wiki/UBoot/PatchStatus Compiler to use was already covered in my document: http://www.geocities.com/crecmca98/Linux/omap2430_From_almost_scratch.pdf Codegen is the best.. Things I am planning on doing: start with 2430, move to 3430 patches. I am thinking strongly of forcing muxing of individual drivers(not in uboot) to be done exclusively by kernel..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cy1uqv9nNGs The board looks good.. the next generation of boards much more "compressed" and deadlier!!! Love being on the bleeding edge of tech!!!

Searching for a ready made rpm is pain if yum does not pull it out automagically. instead download source, and run "rpmbuild -ta git-1.5.2.3.tar.gz"

Denx is out looking for a new u-boot maintanence mechanism similar to what Linux has. some new(?) guidelines on development: http://www.denx.de/wiki/UBoot/DesignPrinciples See this thread on the maintainer stuff: http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=20070704002828.E7F34353B2C%40atlas.denx.de&forum_name=u-boot-users here is more on code refactor stuff: http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=E1I5qQW-0007cq-3i%40jdl.com&forum_name=u-boot-users

Yesterday night, I was looking at my linux box, and thought, let me revamp my old kernel driver skills.. thought I'd write a small character LCD driver.. checked the datasheet, gathered that it was childish. Till i started looking at userspace functionality... Thats when I groaned.. Options: LCDProc: http://lcdproc.omnipotent.net/ LCD Module: http://lcd.sourceforge.net/ LCD mod: http://lcd-mod.sourceforge.net/ etc.... in the end.. hmm.. I kind of have decided on lcd proc.. dunno how difficult it is.. the worst part is that.. there are no standard interfaces in the kernel itself.. Will update this post as I develop on this..

http://news.com.com/2100-7344_3-6194139.html?part=rss&tag=2547-1_3-0-5&subj=news As of last, Linus was against pulling in GPL3 for kernel... what sayeth he now??? Gotta read it sometime later this weekend.. Update: http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS6228340866.html GPL V3: http://gplv3.fsf.org/ - there is GPL and LGPL - Good!! One feature I am worried upon is the "non tviozation" concept: Imagine.. one day Linus says ok to GPL v3 for linux, all apps are GPL V3. Now, using today's technology, the h/w vendor who releases a GPL V3 based software for a cellphone..needs to ensure that you dont have a malicious "cracked" version running on the board. How does they do it? by providing signature for images.. Does "non tvio" software mean the signatures are published? Errr.. beats the purpose right? Does this imply that the vendor should impart the tools to make the modified s/w run on thier boards -Errrr.... why should the vendor want to give the key to t...

Intrest Story: Amusia Musica La MainFrama : http://www.wired.com/culture/art/news/2007/07/IBM1401_Musical Ze Linux Killer?? Reiser SNAFU! For some one who had hacked around with File systems, name such as JFFS2,JFFS3 etc reminded strongly of reiserfs -> the filesystem that made ext2fs look crap.. Now.. this!! http://www.wired.com/techbiz/people/magazine/15-07/ff_hansreiser Voca Silencia : http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070626-internet-radio-day-of-silence-hushes-thousands-of-stations.html Signed-off-by: Nishanth Menon http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070628-rep-inslee-game-simply-not-over-for-net-radio-now-or-on-july-15.html Essentially.. get ur ipods and shared drives ready.. internet stations are dying!!! Power: Lol.. intel understands it today??? but then the media was always slow compared to research community.. http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/cpu/power-plays.ars Open Kerala Project: Will the Open Kerala become Open Karela (bittergord in Hindi)?? Knowing th...

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Business : --Programmer shortage: A problem, but what kind? How bad? And how to solve it?-- Convinced that the software programmer crisis is due to fewer college students coming into technical fields, Jack Ganssle points to "stark numbers" that have convinced him of the urgency of the problem. http://newsletter.embedded.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/eBAJ10FyTZ10FrY0FLqX0Ex --Five chipmakers control 32% of manufacturing, says analyst-- Samsung, TSMC, Intel, Toshiba, and UMC had the five largest shares of the world's chip manufacturing capacity at the end of 2006, with a combined capacity of just over 2.9 million 200-mm equivalent wafer per month. They accounted for 32 percent of total wafer capacity as of year-end 2006, according to market research company IC Insights. http://newsletter.eetimes.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/eBALV0FyTZ10FrK0FLvK0EG --Big shakeup predicted in flash memory markets-- The market for trapped charge and phase change memories is set to outpace many other flash memory sec...