Re: Roles for distributions

Note that I'm replying to the original note rather than the long tirade of
resultant flames :)

Anyway- I am a fairly decent C, C++, and Java programmer. I'd love to be
able to contribute to the Linux/PPC effort, however I don't even know
where to start. Most of the projects that are large enough to actually
need patches to run correctly on PPC are so large that they are inherently
intimidating to one not familiar with the source. Do any of you veteran
hackers have suggestions for the contribution-newbie? What projects are in
the largest need of help, and how can someone who has never seen their
source get into the flow of helping out?

Thanks "oodles",
-Todd

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On Sun, 10 Sep 2000, Kevin B. Hendricks wrote:

Hi,

Since I am already on my soapbox, there is one other important issue this
body could address.

Why aren't the current PPC linux distributions putting full time developers
on key projects?

Right now without Franz Sirl ppc would be complete shit when it comes to
tools and things.  He not only keeps up gcc for powerpc, without his help
glibc-2.2 and binutils would not be working at all.

Where are all the distribution developers???????????

Why don't SuSE, YellowDogLinux, LinuxPPC, etc have anyone regularly
contributing to the toolchains (checking builds, reporting and fixing bugs,
etc)?  We (ppc) should have somebody with commit priviledges on gdb,
binutils, and glibc 2.2 helping and supporting things (and GeoffK doesn't
count since he is simply too busy).

In SuSE's defense, their x86 developers are shouldering most if not all of
the work for glibc 2.2.  Same goes for redhat.  But no one is supporting
ppc basically but Franz.

And what about the other key projects: mozilla, helix/gnome, KDE, galeon,
apache, etc?

Seriously, if the toolchain stops working for ppc (gcc, gdb, glibc, etc) we
are sunk...period.

Gary Thomas used to help with these things but I haven't seen a post from
him in a long time.

This is something we really need to fix if we are ever going to be in the
big leagues.

Again my 2 cents,

Kevin

(and I do try to help out with glibc and things when I have time).

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