Re: Classpath on linux-ppc

[Arnaud Vandyck]

Sascha Brawer <address@hidden> wrote:

> You can also use an unfree Java implementation (such as Apple's JDK
> 1.3 on MacOS X) to develop packages for Classpath.  Of course only
> as long as you only use public APIs, and never ever decompile or
> even look at the sources.

It's the one of IBM. But in this case, I prefer to use the debianized
Blackdown version (I am on Debian-ppc).

> > If someone can help, I'd be very interresting in contributing.
> 
> Thanks a lot! (I'm not a maintainer, but nobody else has said this
> so far...)

:-)

> >-- arnaud :: http://vbstefi60.fapse.ulg.ac.be/~arnaud/
> 
> What package would you like to work on?
> 
> Looking at your web page, I could imagine you might be interested in
> the javax.xml.* tree, or (because of your SVG links) javax.print
> with an SVG StreamPrintService.  But of course, you'd be welcome to
> do anything!

Well, Sascha, yes, but I am not a guru! Not a C, C++, Assembly guru
and neither a Java guru, I just have the J2 programmer certification
and trying to pass the dev certification, but I did not study
computers at University!

Maybe I can begin with some documentation and why not a javax.*
package. What is needed? What is the task on the top of the todo list
for a new (beginner and) "helper"?

For clarification:

Mark Wielaard <address@hidden> wrote:

> The easiest is to use gcj with libgcj. This works perfectly on PPC.
> libgcj is based on GNU Classpath but a lot of merging work is still
> needed. (See http://gcc.gnu.org/java/libgcj-classpath-compare.html)
> Note that libgcj takes a lot of time (and disk space) to compile.
> It is certainly not the nicest platform to do quick write, run,
> debug cycles if you are hacking on the core libraries.

Compiler

> Kissme <http://kissme.sf.net/> is known to work on PPC with Classpath
> and is easier to use. But the PPC support is not very well tested yet.
> I got it running once, but have not yet done anything more then Hello
> World with it. See for some issues I had then (that might already be
> solved): <http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/message.php?msg_id=2007709>

Runtime (JVM)

> > I have a Blue G3 at home with Debian GNU/Linux (sarge) and there is a
> > package named 'orp-classpath' but it seems like orp is not available
> > for ppc.
> 
> I have a PowerMac G3/233 running Debian GNU/Linux (woody, but with a
> newer binutils to work with gcj from CVS, I believe sarge is newer then
> woody so you should be good to go). I saw that there is now a Debian
> kissme and sablevm package at least for x86. You might want to ask the
> package maintainers if they can try to create a PPC version.

I saw these packages but did not try to install on the G3. I'll check
the Debian's bts and maybe fill a 'which' bug.

> > If someone can help, I'd be very interresting in contributing.
> 
> Great! Let us know how it goes. Setting up Classpath plus VM is
> sadly non-trivial and using a PPC machine makes it especially
> interesting.  But we would of course like your help.

Anthony Green <address@hidden> wrote:

> It's not so bad if you can do your development outside of libgcj.
> For instance, many new packages can be developed outside of libgcj
> and then merge it in when you're happy (like a new javax.* package).
> You can also avoid native compilation and link times by testing with
> gij.

So maybe the first step would be to contribute even with a non-free
implementation of a jdk as Sascha and Anthony suggest. When
contribution is ok, I'll try to test it with gcj (for compilation) and
kissme (for runtime) as Mark suggest.

Am I right? Any other suggestions are welcome.

I'll check
<http://savannah.gnu.org/pm/task.php?group_id=85&set=custom&advsrch=0&group_project_id=0&_assigned_to=0&_status=1&SUBMIT=Browse>
to know where I can help, or maybe someon can suggest.

For the javax.xml.* packages, I thought AElfred's API was donated?

Thanks to everybody for welcome and suggestions.

-- arnaud :: http://vbstefi60.fapse.ulg.ac.be/~arnaud/