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0 pointsblihp2y ago0 comments

While I'm glad to see proprietary firmware both included and segregated in its own repo, I'm wondering why RISC-V wasn't added as a supported architecture in Debian 12? It seems like that supporting at least an open ISA would move closer to the possibility of what Debian wants to see happen... so why isn't it as a distro helping to make it happen?

0 comments

seba_dos12y ago

It's simple - because the port is not ready yet.

The plan is to have it ready for Debian 13: https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2023/06/msg00...

pabs32y ago

At the end of the day, this was because the hardware ecosystem (and the hardware support in Linux/bootloaders/etc) isn't really "ready" yet, and also there was slow and unclear communications between the porting team, the core Debian teams and one of the hosting providers. Eventually the teams provisionally approved the port, but after that the needed actions weren't done in time for the archive-wide rebuild that happens during the process of an unofficial port becoming official. I'm not on the porting team, but am on the Debian sysadmin team, and tried to speed up the process and make it more transparent. Debian contributors are mostly volunteers, so things take time.

blihpOP2y ago

Sorry for the lag in my reply (I just noticed your response)... I very much appreciate the info as I found the lack of official RISC-V support in 12 surprising. I hadn't read about the blockers to being ready for the release which makes perfect sense. Looking forward to seeing in in 13!

teddyh2y ago

https://wiki.debian.org/RISC-V

blihpOP2y ago

That doesn't answer the question. It's still 'unofficial' per https://wiki.debian.org/SupportedArchitectures

If you want the maintain the status quo you support the hardware that has the most users, if you want to change it you also support the hardware you want them to use.

bayindirh2y ago

In Debian, there's no single entity which decides on things. There are rules, and processes.

The relevant documentation is here: https://wiki.debian.org/PortsDocs/New

Also, the rules for becoming an official port is here: https://ftp-master.debian.org/archive-criteria.html

When RISC-V satisfies the relevant criteria, they can become official.

Also, maintaining a port is tremendous amount of work. Debian users only see the tip of the iceberg. There's so much beneath that.

teddyh2y ago

Who is the actor in this scenario who wants to change the status quo and therefore support the RISC-V platform in Debian? I.e. who are the people with the motivation to do that?

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0 comments

seba_dos12y ago

It's simple - because the port is not ready yet.

The plan is to have it ready for Debian 13: https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2023/06/msg00...

pabs32y ago

blihpOP2y ago

teddyh2y ago

https://wiki.debian.org/RISC-V

blihpOP2y ago

That doesn't answer the question. It's still 'unofficial' per https://wiki.debian.org/SupportedArchitectures

If you want the maintain the status quo you support the hardware that has the most users, if you want to change it you also support the hardware you want them to use.

bayindirh2y ago

In Debian, there's no single entity which decides on things. There are rules, and processes.

The relevant documentation is here: https://wiki.debian.org/PortsDocs/New

Also, the rules for becoming an official port is here: https://ftp-master.debian.org/archive-criteria.html

When RISC-V satisfies the relevant criteria, they can become official.

Also, maintaining a port is tremendous amount of work. Debian users only see the tip of the iceberg. There's so much beneath that.

teddyh2y ago

Who is the actor in this scenario who wants to change the status quo and therefore support the RISC-V platform in Debian? I.e. who are the people with the motivation to do that?

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse