[Arm-netbook] I Have An Possible Chance To Meet An ARM Senior Manager

[Henrik Nordström]

mån 2012-10-08 klockan 12:02 +0100 skrev luke.leighton:

>  yeah - gordan put it well, by pointing out that u-boot is actually a
> modified copy of the linux kernel source code: it has to be, otherwise
> you can't boot up and load from the NAND flash, because you don't know
> how to access it, right?

u-boot is not a modified Linux kernel. It's qute different from Linux.
Sure, some drivers have some parts in common, but 

>  why in god's name u-boot was even written, rather than just having an
> initrd with an application that presents a simple menu and calls kexec
> when the user selects what to do, i really don't know.

Because CPUs can't load linux+initrd, or even get the DRAM bus up and
running without something instructing them what to do.

>  if you've seen the marvel-based "openrd" nightmare situation where
> you can boot from NAND but not from SD, yet after booting you *can*
> access the SD, you'll know that this is down to lack of proper
> maintenance of u-boot.

It's by no means unique for openrd. u-boot != linux. Drivers are not the
same. But sure, u-boot not supporting SD is a bit odd.

Regards
Henrik