Messages in this thread | | | From | Rick Hohensee <> | Subject | Re: porting linux to DSP | Date | Tue, 27 Jul 1999 00:57:19 -0400 (EDT) |
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Another thing I haven't seen mentioned in why Linux on a DSP is absurd is memory management. True multi-user requires hardware-supported sequestering of process memory access. That's why you need a 386+ or 68010+ for any real unix. This is how OSes, mostly unix, have effected the design of the predominant general-purpose CPU chips.
Another tiny little issue is that gcc is designed for single-stack register machines. I don't recall gcc.info even bothering to say "oh yeah, Von Neumann architecture." DSPs are Harvard architecture, aren't they? As with stack machines, I'm guessing extending the gcc machine description for Harvard architecture is basically a complete re-write. A quick glance at man gcc doesn't show any DSP-specific options. What gcc can reasonably do is what RTL can reasonably do, Register Transfer Language, used to describe CPU targets. DSPs and Forth engines are not describable in current RTL.
My guess is that building a unix-capable DSP is easier than porting Linux to existing DSPs. Might make for a nice audio box :o) Is this a national initiative? ;o)
Rick Hohensee my Amiga stuff is in ../mus/misc in Aminet
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