/srv/irclogs.ubuntu.com/2008/06/21/#ubuntu-mobile.txt

davidmlool, OK that makes sense, I guess it means making a new image and having stevenk upload it too.00:05
persiaIF a new image is made, could update-initramfs -u be run to avoid the modules.dep warnings at boot time?02:27
=== cprov is now known as cprov-away
persiaAnAnt: So, Ubuntu Mobile is an OS, but not really for phones.09:30
AnAntpersia: I didn't know of this channel, sorry09:30
persiaSome of the parts that are missing are things like dialing applications.09:30
persiaSpeaking as someone who has a "Internet Mobile Tool" from sharp (not running Ubuntu Mobile), I say that not having a easy interface for dialing is a huge shortfall in a phone.09:31
persiaNow there are a couple "phones" that might run Ubuntu Mobile, in that they are advertised as Atom processors, but they are large, and most aren't in shops yet, and it wouldn't be a very convenient phone.09:32
persiaIn terms of Phone OS's based on Linux, I think OpenMoko is likely the most mature, although there are some Qtopia phone apps that a few companies sell.09:32
persiaThere's also a bunch of relatively closed linux phones, but those aren't as much fun (Panasonic has several)09:33
AnAntclosed linux phones ?09:33
persiaWell, open kernel, closed apps, not easy to hack.09:34
AnAntQtopia is a phone ?09:35
persiaNo, it's TrollTech's mobile stack.09:36
AnAntoh, application platform09:36
AnAntso, no phones yet running OpenMoko ?09:36
persiaI'm not sure, at least not sold here.09:36
suihkulokkiAnAnt: for example, the recent motorola linux phones: http://wiki.openezx.org/MotoMAGX_Security09:37
AnAntare there plans for Ubuntu Mobile to target cell phones ?09:38
persiaAnAnt: No, although there's nothing that says there won't be another Ubuntu derivative that does.09:39
persiaUbuntu Mobile is more about handhelds.  Some people call these "Mobile Tools", some people call these "Mobile Internet Devices", and the really old ones were called "Palmtops".09:39
AnAntok09:40
=== asac_ is now known as asac
looldavidm: Sorry, I pinged you instead of davmor210:53
loolpersia: I'm not sure, doesn't it come from /etc/initramfs/modules?10:53
persialool: It should, but the last image didn't have it, so there were boot errors.  stgraber reported that running `update-initramfs -u` in a bare image fixed it.10:55
stgraber_nope didn't fix it, I tried that though10:59
persiastgraber_: Oh.  Sorry.  I thought it did fix it from what you said.  Hrm.11:00
stgraber_modules.dep aren't copied to the initrd so you still get the error message :(11:00
ogra<persia> IF a new image is made, could update-initramfs -u be run to avoid the modules.dep warnings at boot time?12:07
ograpersia, no, you need to handle all the hardcoded modprobe calls 12:07
ograwe need a NO_MODULES=True or something in initramfs.conf, so we can add if or case statements in the code so they get not executed12:08
ograthe errors you see are likely all from such hardcoded cases12:09
persiaogra: But there are apparently 197 kernel modules present.  Do we really want NO_MODULES=True?12:17
ograwe apparently dont use any modules in the initramfs12:18
ograthey are still present in / after mounting the rootfs and will be used then12:19
ogra(withur modules.dep they wont load anyway, NO_MODULES=True would just be a consmetical fix to activate wrappers for the hardcoded calls)12:19
ogra*without12:20
ogra/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/local has cals for loop and the filesystem ... /usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/functions forcefully tries to load i8042 and atkbd ... /usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/init-top/usplash acually tries the same again 12:22
ogra/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/init-top/all_generic_ide tries to load ata_generic and /usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/init-top/framebuffer loads fbcon12:22
ograif you wrap these clls the boot will be quiet12:23
ogra*calls12:23
ogra(there might be more i missed though, thats just a simple grep modprobe on the initramfs scripts)12:23
ograas i understood amit we have the modules we need compiled into the kernel now12:24
ograso all these cals are moot12:24
ogra*calls12:24
persiaAh.  OK.  I see it now.  Thanks for the detailed explanation.12:25
persiaThat's more hacking than I think has value for the Hardy final VM image, but it might make sense if the intrepid kernel is also to have such a model.12:25
ograwell, i wouldnt do that model at all 12:25
persiaOn the other hand, I expect there will be a wider variety of supported devices for intrepid, so it may be that we'll want those calls back again.12:25
ograjust keep the modules, and have a huge blacklist from which you only exclude the ones you actually need would be my variant12:26
persiaHmm.  I guess, although I don't prefer board-specific solutions.12:27
ograand this blacklist can be generated based on image build profiles for specific devices ... if you dont have critical boot time constraints the blacklist wont be used (for a totally eneric image that works everywhere)12:27
ogra*generic12:27
ograso what we built would be the generic image and a tool to maintin the blacklists .... the USG guys then could generate device specific images in an identical way12:28
persiaMaybe module loading could be two-stage?  Have a base set in initramfs for the key bits (e.g. disk), and then load others as required as the normal userspace is coming up.  One rarely needs the keyboard enabled prior to X (although it's nice for debugging(12:28
ograthat two stage thin is exactly what we do atm :)12:28
ograand thats why you see the modules.dep errors 12:29
persiaIn that case, why does the modules list affect boot time?  Maybe our measurement isn't of the right metric.12:29
ograbecause there are still scripts forcing the call of modprobe :)12:29
ograand the first thing modprobe does is to look up the module deps in modules.dep ;)12:30
persiaOK.  I'm understanding then.12:30
ograwhi doesnt exist 12:30
persiaAnd you think it's better to blacklist in initramfs rather than looking at a generic solution?12:30
persiaI'd think a more generic model would have positive impact on boot speed for other applications as well (desktop, server, etc.)12:31
ograwell, what other generic solution would be there part from using monolithic kernels12:31
persiaI thought you didn't like the two-stage module loading model.12:31
ograwe can have full monolithic, half monolithic as we do now (initramfs has no modules, userspace has) or use the full odule driven approach12:31
persiaAh.  I see.12:32
ograi would go with the full module driven way12:32
ograas we do in the main distro 12:32
persiaAnd just put in a blacklist if there is known target hardware.12:32
ograbut maintain blacklists instead of whitelists ... the blacklisted modules wont be attempted to be loaded ....12:32
ograif you work with whitelists i think the attepts will be made12:33
ograthe blacklisting way saves you FS access time12:33
persiaHmm.  OK.  What about pluggable device support?  That oughtn't be on the blacklist, but isn't likely needed until userspace.12:33
ograbut i have to look deeper into that to make sure my assumptions arent wrong here12:34
ograi just noticed that blacklisting seemed faster in the past12:34
ograrightt, really only have the modules used in initramfs that are needed for bare booting12:34
ograthen let the userspace handle the whole rest12:35
ograwhat you need will be the device specific frambuffer, all you need to get to the rootfs and thats it12:35
persiaSo there needs to be something in update-initramfs that restricts the copied module set?12:35
ogralikely not more than three four modules12:35
persiaWell, depends on the hardware.  I'd likely want more in my workstation.12:36
ograah, weell, less modules wil make the uncompressing faster12:36
ograbut we can have all modules in the initramfs 12:36
ograjust not load them or make atempts to do so12:36
ograyou run UME or UNR on your workstation ? 12:37
persiaThis would be a different blacklist in initramfs than in userspace?12:37
ograexactly12:37
ograthat functionallity is already there12:37
ograwe just need to use it12:37
persiaI don't run UME on my workstation, but if this is actually a sane way to reduce boot time, it would be useful there.12:37
persiaAlso, I expect a wide variety of UME hardware to be available after the intrepid release, so prefer something generic.12:38
ograwell, the profile mode (not sure you know it) should get some enhancement to handle modules 12:38
ograthat would be appropriate12:38
persiaI don't know it.  Is this "kernel profiling"?12:38
ogranope12:38
ografliesystem access profiling12:38
ograit generates the readahead lists in a device specific way12:39
ograits a bootoption, boot your workstation with it12:39
persiaAh.  That's Keybuk's new readahead replacement plan?12:39
ograit will be faster on the subsequent boots until you install new software12:39
ograno, Keyuk wants to replace readahead completely by prefetch12:40
ograbut prefetch needs some massive changes12:40
ogranot sure that will happen in time fo intrepid12:40
ograand readahead has the disadvantage of not being able to andle stacked filesystems12:40
ograi.e. unionfs12:40
ograi havent tested with aufs yet which wil be what intrepid uses as unionfs replacement12:41
persiaRight, and we like stacked filesystems because of compression.12:41
ograright12:42
ograi heard good things about aufs though12:42
ograbut hanvent played with it myself 12:42
ogra(in the readahead+unionfs setup the unionfs module oopsed, it wasnt readahead that broke ;) )12:46
ograso there are chances it could work with aufs12:47
ograand readahead is actually speeding up things a lot12:47
persiaPerhaps.  Looking at upstream seems to indicate that aufs oughtn't be used.12:47
ogra... if it works :)12:47
ograwhich upstream ? 12:47
ograkernel.org ?12:48
* persia needs to re-profile the workstation for both initial boot and login12:48
persiaaufs.sourceforge.net12:48
persiaMight just be extra modesty though12:49
ograyeah12:50
ograunionfs isnt really maintained12:50
ograits a UNI project 12:50
persiaI think aufs as well, but more actively so.12:50
ograso you dont really have people jumping at bugs12:50
ograright12:50
ograi think that was the initial reason for aufs12:51
ograunionfs was always rather a proof of concept12:52
=== stgraber_ is now known as stgraber

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