[PATCH 2/3 Try#2] NOR Flash Support (U-Boot env)

[Harald Welte]

Hi Andy

On Mon, Dec 24, 2007 at 12:19:19PM +0000, Andy Green wrote:

> Somebody in the thread at some point said:
> > Andy Green wrote:
> >> If the kernel that devirginator drops in the device on GTA-01 also has
> >> the NOR patch, it will create a (useless, but logically present) MTD
> >> device representing the (IIRC, on GTA-01 nonexistent) NOR device's
> >> footprint and make the partitions match up.
> > 
> > Hmm, and people installing the new kernel on GTA01 like they
> > always did so far would find themselves with an unbootable system.
> > Not nice :-(
> 
> They can DFU-update to a contemporary GTA-01 U-Boot and they're away
> again, if I understood you.

updating the bootloader is not something that people easily are willing
to do, especially if they don't have a debug board to recover.  Go and
ask about the experience of existing users :/

Also, since old u-boot also doesn't support new kernel, I consider this
an absolutely unacceptable situation.  If there are such dependencies,
the system needs to fail gracefully, i.e. at least inform the user
on-screen aobut what he is supposed to respove this.

Given the state of the software, many people switch back and forth
between kernel/rootfs revisions in order to test for regressions, etc.
You cannot put additional obstacles in there.

> > Our ultimate goal is to merge all our code into the respective
> > upstream sources, so creating permanent branches would actually
> > move us away from where we want to be, and make life harder for
> > everyone concerned.
> 
> My point is that the even more ultimate goal is to get a production
> version out.  For example I don't have a GTA-01 and I can't test what I
> am putting out for GTA-01... should that really delay what can usefully
> be done towards GTA-02?  These kind of thoughts lead me to this
> backporting concept.

Please see my other posting.  If I was a GTA01 customer, I would be
seriously upset about OM dropping hardware support of it before it was
ever finished!!!

And if you don't have a GTA01, then you should make OM provide you one
ASAP...

-- 
- Harald Welte <laforge at openmoko.org>          	        http://openmoko.org/
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