Wookey wrote:
> On the bootloader front, blob is nice but largely defunct, although
> obviously not entirely if someone updated it for Mainstone. Bootldr is also
> more or less unmaintained and a vile bit of code I'd like to leave behind
> (although it does have a lot of handy stuff and we are familiar with it).
> 
> Colin and I have started a review of bootloaders. Currently favoured
> candidates are APEX, u-boot and redboot. The APEX developer is particularly
> helpful and we are looking at getting it going on Balloon2. We could have a
> go on balloon3 instead, but something already known to run on pxa270 (like
> the mainstone blob variant or redboot) might be quickest. I have messed with
> blob before so could have a go at that.

More on the boot loader debate from Nick via me (he's not getting 
balloon list email at the moment):
- we know bootldr is horrid in various ways and is missing a TCP/IP 
stack and USB support (both of which would be nice to have) *but* there 
is significant investment in automated mass-programming widgetry at Toby 
Churchill which relies on it, so changing to a different boot loader 
would require a lot of work for them.
- bootldr already has NAND and YAFFS support. Sorting these out in 
another boot loader would be a non-trivial task, probably.
- Nick has bootldr basically ready to go for the PXA270, modulo a bunch 
of #defines, so the process of getting it to run might be a morning's 
work instead of <more than that>. Given the number of other things 
clamouring for his attention, this is a Good Thing if he's got to do it.

Chris
-- 
Chris Jones - chris@martin-jones.com
Martin-Jones Technology Ltd, makers of Solidlights
http://www.solidlights.co.uk/