Various comments

[John S Gwynne]

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   In message <Pine.3.89.9410261603.B23706-0100000 at aztec.co.za> , you write:
 
| be getting Linux in a couple of weeks time. So John, please let me know
| what to do to get gcc running and emitting 68000 code that I can use
| for a simple embedded system. And what do I use for libraries?

gcc and 68000 -- This is worth the effort to build. I used "m68k-sun-sunos4"
as the target, but I think most people use os3. Let me now when you're ready,
and I can put together some things like libgcc.a.

libraries -- glibc-1.08.8 (a pre-release) has embedded system support. The
main release is expected after one or two more pre-releases (not out yet).
RTEMS also has the C-library in it, but it's configured for the 68020. (it's
a modified glibc and (I believe) parallels the new glibc embedded support;
its author had a hand in the GNU version). I am porting RTEMS to the 68000
and what I now call the EFI68k (my 68000 board). I'm about half way through
it (maybe ???).  This is a real multi-tasking kernel that I also strongly
recommend.  There are some *.ps files on this mail server that describe it.
I hope to have the port finished in a month or so.

| My requirements are that I can use the system at home to play with, as
| well as in the car. This means that I have some widely separate requirements,
| such as an IDE interface and possibly VGA, at least Hercules display, and
| a PC keyboard port. And DRAM. On the other hand I want battery backed up

Does this mean you will buy, say, a 'PC' video card and plug it into your
board? If so, I've heard this can be fairly difficult to do if your are not
using a 80x86 variant since all 'PC' cards (such as the video card) carries
its own boot-rom. One must read, decode, then re-write a new boot
routine. Most people find it easier to just buy the video chip set and make
their own board. (maybe that's what you meant) (If you do either, I would
like to know.)

I would agree with Dirk, "Go with a serial port..." If you need more, I would
think about having a 'PC' communicating to the controller (IMHO).  Oh, and
don't forget gdb can be configured to work as a remote debugger over the
serial port. No need for the Borland stuff :).

                                       John S Gwynne
                                          Gwynne.1 at osu.edu
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