[9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[David Leimbach]

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I've been having a pretty good experience with the Guruplug with Plan 9 (I
have the "standard" model that doesn't overheat so far and only one Gb
ethernet), thanks to the efforts of the Plan 9 and Inferno communities.

Unless I read incorrectly, the Beagleboard platforms are easier to work with
for Plan 9 developers, as Marvell believes having done a port to linux is
enough documentation for anyone.  Is this still the case, and if so, would
we be better off with Beagleboard machines?

I'm just curious as to what's believed to be sustainable in the long term,
and think these ARM platforms are just swell (gee golly) despite the
headaches getting stuff ported, especially when they run a sane OS like Plan
9/Inferno.

Dave

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Re: [9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[Jacob Todd]

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Iirc, at iwp9 geoff said in so many words that the beagleboard was having
problems with undocumented..stuff. The video is on livestream.com/iwp9 if
you want to watch it.

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Re: [9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[Nick LaForge]

Beagleboard's ethernet hogs the usb bus!  Gumstix has a proper ethernet.

Nick

On 11/2/10, Jacob Todd <jaketodd422@gmail.com> wrote:
> Iirc, at iwp9 geoff said in so many words that the beagleboard was having
> problems with undocumented..stuff. The video is on livestream.com/iwp9 if
> you want to watch it.
>

Re: [9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[geoff]

As far as I know, there isn't yet a good, inexpensive, well-documented
ARM system.  I tend to prefer the Marvell Kirkwood systems (the plugs)
because they have faster processors, faster and smarter Ethernet
controllers, and somewhat simpler SoCs than the TI OMAP3 systems
(beagle, igep, gumstix).  On the other hand, the video controller on
the openrd is effectively undocumented and the guruplug display isn't
yet available.

The beagleboard is a mistake: its lack of real Ethernet is a major
failing, plus we haven't been able to get OMAP USB (EHCI) to work yet,
so one can't even use the kludge of USB Ethernet.

We have video working on the gumstix, but without working USB, there's
no way to attach a local keyboard or mouse.

Re: [9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[erik quanstrom]

> As far as I know, there isn't yet a good, inexpensive, well-documented
> ARM system.

pick any two!  ;-)

- erik

Re: [9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[Nick LaForge]

>> As far as I know, there isn't yet a good, inexpensive, well-documented
>> ARM system.

> pick any two!  ;-)

"Between two evils, choose neither, between two goods, choose both."
-- Tryon Edwards

A nice quote from a nice book on distributed systems [*]  Need I quote
another distributed systems expert, Jim Choate?  The choice only comes
up if you feel the need to build a PC out of a bunch of Plan9s instead
of a Plan9 out of a bunch of PCs.  Do we really need the thing to do
video?  Although it would be nice.

I punted on this anyway by buying a Startech usb2 vga device.  Now
"all" I need is dma with a decent usb pipe, and a port of the linux
driver.

[*] Garg, V.  "Elements of Distributed Computing"

Nick

Re: [9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[geoff]

The plugs make fine servers but there is also interest in
a small, portable terminal that boots quickly.

Re: [9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[Yaroslav]

is there some progress with creation of a Perfect Arm Terminal?

2010/11/2  <geoff@plan9.bell-labs.com>:
> The plugs make fine servers but there is also interest in
> a small, portable terminal that boots quickly.

Re: [9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[ron minnich]

On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 12:04 PM, Yaroslav <yarikos@gmail.com> wrote:
> is there some progress with creation of a Perfect Arm Terminal?

To me, the gumstix is still it. I booted the new omap kernel the other
day and noticed all the neat video messages! When I get back I'm going
to try it out with a display :-)

ron

Re: [9fans] Preferred ARM platform?

[geoff]

The problem with the gumstix as a terminal is that
nobody has yet been able to figure why its USB doesn't
work, so though you can get video, it's hard to provide
mouse and keyboard.  Plus Gumstix still don't seem to be
selling the aluminum case, so it's a bit delicate to
lug around the world with you.

The Guruplug Display, on the other hand, isn't an OMAP
SoC, comes with a case, has working USB, and simple 2D
video seems to be documented adequately (or nearly so).
I don't have anything further to report yet, but work
is ongoing.