http://elinux.org/index.php?title=Mainline_the_Nios2_Linux_Kernel_port&feed=atom&action=historyMainline the Nios2 Linux Kernel port - Revision history2013-05-24T20:26:20ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.22alphahttp://elinux.org/index.php?title=Mainline_the_Nios2_Linux_Kernel_port&diff=29947&oldid=prevTim Bird: add proposal2011-01-07T00:40:37Z<p>add proposal</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>; Summary: Mainline the Nios2 Linux Kernel port<br />
<br />
; Proposer: Tobias Klauser<br />
<br />
== Description ==<br />
<br />
The Nios II as an embedded softcore processor for Altera FPGAs (see<br />
http://www.altera.com/products/ip/processors/nios2/ni2-index.html for<br />
more information). It is configurable and may include an optional MMU.<br />
<br />
There has been a port of the Linux Kernel for Nios II without MMU for<br />
quite some time now, but it never made it into mainline until now. Since<br />
2009 there is also a (separate) port for Nios II with MMU.<br />
<br />
The two version are currently separated into two trees, but work is<br />
ongoing to merge them. There are also people working on getting full<br />
device tree support to the port and converting drivers.<br />
<br />
Linus' git tree is regularly merged into the main development branch of<br />
the tree to keep it up-to-date with current mainline and make possible<br />
mainline inclusion simpler.<br />
<br />
Some drivers out of the project have already been submitted and included<br />
into mainline (e.g. altera_ps2 serio driver, altera_uart and<br />
altera_jtaguart serial drivers). Some drivers such as the altera_tse<br />
ethernet driver, the nios_mmc MMC host driver or the spi_altera SPI<br />
driver still need to be brought into shape for mainline submission.<br />
Especially the altera_tse driver needs some serious work, maybe it could<br />
be submitted for inclusion into staging first.<br />
<br />
The task would include finishing the work on the NOMMU/MMU tree merge<br />
and FDT support, fixing emerging bugs, submitting the code to LKML for<br />
review, incorporating review feedback etc. until the architecture could<br />
finally be merged into mainline.<br />
<br />
== Related work ==<br />
<br />
* Existing Linux port for Nios2<br />
** Code: git://sopc.et.ntust.edu.tw/git/linux-2.6.git (mirrored at<br />
git://gitorious.org/linux-nios2/linux-nios2.git)<br />
** Background Information for the "MMU port":<br />
http://www.alterawiki.com/wiki/Linux,<br />
** Background Information for the "NOMMU port":<br />
http://www.alterawiki.com/wiki/UClinux<br />
* Nios II Processor Reference Handbook:<br />
http://www.altera.com/literature/hb/nios2/n2cpu_nii5v1.pdf<br />
<br />
== Scope ==<br />
<br />
Around 4 weeks (full-time) to get the tree ready for initial mainline<br />
submission. Work amount afterwards heavily depends on the review<br />
feedback which needs to be included.<br />
<br />
== Contractor Candidates ==<br />
<br />
Thomas Chou is the "official" maintainer of the port and also works on<br />
the Das U-Boot for Nios2, he would certainly be a great candidate.<br />
<br />
I worked with and on Nios2 Linux for some time now and am one of around<br />
5 people contributing to Nios2 Linux regularly (currently working on the<br />
NOMMU/MMU merge), so I'd also like to nominate myself.<br />
<br />
== Comments ==<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category:Project proposals 2011]]</div>Tim Bird