Re: porting linux to DSP

Albert D. Cahalan (acahalan@cs.uml.edu)
Thu, 29 Jul 1999 01:22:51 -0400 (EDT)


Steve Underwood writes:
> Rick Hohensee wrote:
>> [???]
>>> Rick Hohensee wrote:

>>>> 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.

Friendly users are no problem at all. Use vfork() and threads often.

> On more advanced DSPs C compilers produce some pretty weird code you
> wouldn't put in a product. For rapid development of prototypes, test
> programs, etc. this awful code does have some value. I sometimes
> wonder if a C compiler for a DSP is really much more than a marketing
> gimmick.

What would you call the SHARC? (from Analog Devices)

There is a near-POSIX multitasking OS that runs on the SHARC.
The OS and all apps are written in C, C++, Ada, or FORTRAN.
Apps make library calls to take advantage of DSP features.
(the library is full of vector math operations)

Oh yeah... this is for a multicomputer with a Linux-sized kernel.
For the anti-DIPC people out there: you can do hundreds of nodes
on this system, and shared memory is faster for small transfers.
Doing MPI for 8 bytes is a definite loss.

I'd say more, but I'm not sure what else is public.

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