Putting cross compilers into Fedora

[Andrew Haley]

On 09/01/2010 12:48 PM, Ralf Corsepius wrote:
> On 09/01/2010 12:41 PM, David Howells wrote:
>>
>> Would it be worth our while putting into Fedora basic gcc and binutils rpms
>> for cross compilers for all the Linux arches?  I keep finding the need to
>> compile kernels for arches other than the x86_64 boxes I normally use, and I
>> keep borrowing prebuilt compilers off others (usually Al Viro - thanks Al!) to
>> do this.
>>
>> However, as the kernel advances, older compilers cease being able to compile
>> it, so I have to go finding new compilers again.
>>
>> It would be much easier if I could just yum install them.
>>
>> Any thoughts on whether it would be worthwhile?
> 
> I'd welcome it.
> 
> However it would be a very challenging task on all levels:
> - Fedora's rpm and some components the build-infrastructure have serious 
> issues related to cross-building.
> 
> - A cross compiler alone is not worth it, you need a whole zoo of 
> further cross-target packages to make it usable.

I don't see why.  If you assume that someone compiling for user space
has a vague idea what they are doing, they will know how to install the
-devel packages for their target system somewhere the compiler can find
them.  The x-compiler package itself wouldn't need much more than the
target's libc.  I don't think we need to cater for people who can't
even figure out how to unpack what they need for the target system.

David is, I think, concerned about kernel building, so he doesn't even
need that.

Andrew.