Help Wanted for Community64

ganja_guru · 2007-05-29 18:37:24

Hi all,

Were still very short handed when it comes to Community 64, simply because most of the current TU's don't have access to an x86_64 box. If you feel have the skills to contribute to Arch64 by helping out with community, please contact any of the Arch64 devs, either thru the ML (tur-users@archlinux.org) or IRC #archlinux64. Your task will mostly involve porting previously existing PKGBUILDs to community 64. Our massive difflist is here http://www.archlinux.org/~andyrtr/pkg_diff.html (scroll down for community)

Thanks,
Varun

Borosai · 2007-05-30 01:14:53

Wow, I hadn't realized how many packages are missing until I looked at that page! I knew some were missing that I wanted to try (deluge, transmission, rezlooks-engine, and maybe a few others), but there is so much to be done.

I would love to help, and honestly, I have the resources to do so (time and computer), but other than a few packages, I haven't spent too much time on PKGBUILDs. However, if all that's required is to use pre-existing PKGBUILDs (as-is or modified) to build 64-bit packages, I'm sure I can handle that without a problem.

On the other hand, if you are looking for people with more advanced skills (such as programming, scripting, etc.), then I guess I'm useless in this case.

tardo · 2007-05-30 01:18:03

will arch64 on vmware do the trick?

dtw · 2007-05-30 07:23:40

tardo wrote:

will arch64 on vmware do the trick?

Yeah, if the x86_64 team could write up a wiki page describing how to help then they maybe they would get more help.

ganja_guru · 2007-05-30 10:43:21

tardo wrote:

will arch64 on vmware do the trick?

Good question. I'm actually not sure though, and I'm not sure if anyone has actually tried arch64 on vmware. I don't have vmware installed so I can't really tell you for sure if the packages you build in such an environment are ok. I'd appreciate if you could build a package on vmware and send it to me so i can check it out.

STiAT · 2007-05-30 12:49:18

I've some (3) 64 bit systems running arch_i686.
I'll give it a shot soon, if someone sits down to write a howto i would appreciate this. Otherwhise i'll have some spare time try this next weekend.

This definitely would be my preferred way of running arch64, since i use too much pre compiled software which does not exist for x86_64 (i love IBM).

It's sad a lot of TUs can't contribute to communtiy, but if this works out, we might have some helping hands more.

I know of andys intentions for the future, so i'm basically supprised to se a short-breath action like this.

Last edited by STiAT (2007-05-30 12:49:51)

ganja_guru · 2007-05-30 13:45:01

I'll try to get vmware running arch64 on an arch32 box. to do this, ill have to install arch32 first, so ill have to wait till the end of the month cause ive exceeded bandwidth limits for this month. Anyone else successfully running arch64 on vmware please let us know !

dtw · 2007-05-30 16:06:56

I can, and would, maintain my own [community] pkgs for the 64 project but I don't want to run Arch 64 on my desktop because, frankly, I don't see the benefits. If I can build them virtually from with my 32 system that'd be great!

tardo · 2007-05-30 16:31:10

err, I plan on using my windows box with vmware and arch64... the machine itself is an athlon64 so I think it meets the hardware requirements... I just don't know if the packages built will be compatible. I'll install it today and find out. I'm pretty sure I can maintain about 100 packages or so.

BTW, does this mean I have to become a TU?

ganja_guru · 2007-05-30 16:46:04

Windows vmware running arch64..interesting. Let u know how that works out. And yes, you have to be a TU to contribute.

Kenetixx · 2007-05-30 19:19:50

Ill give a hand , give me a few weeks to teach my self and get it all going and ill start helping out.

rayjgu3 · 2007-05-30 21:10:23

i have arch64 installed its been my primary os for a few months now
id be more than happy to lend a hand
although my PKGBUILD experience is very limited but if its as you say just running the makepkg & upload
i can do that i have a cable internet connection so uploading is not really an issue either

if you want id be more than happy to help , just let me know what to do

thank you

tardo · 2007-05-30 22:19:23

Here's a package I build on arch64 with vmware

http://nagi-fanboi.net/arch/xfce-devtoo … pkg.tar.gz

My specs:
Athlon 64 3200+, windows box, with arch64 running in vmware
2GB RAM, 4GB HD dedicated to this vmware install with root formatted with XFS
kernel26-2.6.21, gcc 4.2.0 with glib 2.6 [testing repo enabled]

what else do you need?

Last edited by tardo (2007-05-30 22:25:49)

ganja_guru · 2007-05-31 01:04:40

tardo, the package checks out ok, but can you build something which is standalone with a little more bells and whistles... amarok perhaps, or maybe xchat if you don't have KDE installed. Thanks for your time..

tardo · 2007-05-31 01:31:34

http://nagi-fanboi.net/arch/xchat-2.8.2 … pkg.tar.gz

ganja_guru · 2007-05-31 12:45:56

works like a charm! did you have any difficulties setting up arch64 on vmware? perhaps you can help me write the wiki?

and is this page still valid? : http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Installing_VMware

Last edited by ganja_guru (2007-05-31 12:50:28)

dtw · 2007-05-31 13:01:46

ganja_guru wrote:

works like a charm! did you have any difficulties setting up arch64 on vmware? perhaps you can help me write the wiki?

That's great news. Seems like we'll be getting started pretty soon!

tardo · 2007-05-31 13:17:31

ganja_guru wrote:

works like a charm! did you have any difficulties setting up arch64 on vmware? perhaps you can help me write the wiki?
and is this page still valid? : http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Installing_VMware

That wiki assumes I'm using linux as my base OS, but I'm using winblows. I could modify the wiki to reflect such.

The only issue I had was with vmware and kernel 2.6.21. the kernel wouldn't detect my hard drives, but I found a temporary fix (changing from lsilogic to buslogic).

So... it seems I've crossed the first hurdle... but what about the second (becoming a TU)?

STiAT · 2007-05-31 13:57:38

ganja_guru wrote:

I'll try to get vmware running arch64 on an arch32 box. to do this, ill have to install arch32 first, so ill have to wait till the end of the month cause ive exceeded bandwidth limits for this month. Anyone else successfully running arch64 on vmware please let us know !

Well, it's the end of the month today. We can take a look at this together this weekend, since i have similar plans, any time (i don't know your timezone though, but i'm also willed to sleep daytime for this), in fact to have more test systems and can write a full wiki how-to for this.

@tardo: For providing things in the [community] repository you must become TU, yes. Actually, dtw offered to provide this packages to x86_64 [community], so you actually don't have to become TU for the packages to be maintained.
If you think you have the spare time, will, skill and effort to become a TU, you might want to read trough the following sources:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AUR … Guidelines
http://archlinux.org/~simo/TUbylaws.html

Note in this case, that the arch64 community is trying to find more TUs at the moment, since they're very short of manpower.

// STi

Last edited by STiAT (2007-05-31 13:58:36)

tardo · 2007-05-31 18:20:06

Actually, dtw offered to provide this packages to x86_64 [community], so you actually don't have to become TU for the packages to be maintained.

I'm not quite clear on this one... I want to help with x86_64, whether or not I become a TU. Just tell me what needs to be done =]
Just FYI, my intentions aren't because I like x86_64. I frankly think it's a waste of time just like dtw. But I'd like to give back to Arch what it has given me.

If you think you have the spare time, will, skill and effort to become a TU, you might want to read trough the following sources

Read and read. The bylaws are just basic common sense IMO. If I do have to become a TU I think I'll need a sponsor.
I think I have the skill and effort, time is so-so. My first linux distro was gentoo, back in 2005 when the installation was a nightmare, so I'm used to problems and solving them =]

ganja_guru wrote:

I'll try to get vmware running arch64 on an arch32 box. to do this, ill have to install arch32 first, so ill have to wait till the end of the month cause ive exceeded bandwidth limits for this month. Anyone else successfully running arch64 on vmware please let us know !

Yea... about this.. if your cpu supports x86_64 instructions, why not just chroot? No need to sacrifice cpu/mem with vmware. I've done this before and it's really simple (used an x86_64 as base system with 32-bit chrooted, in gentoo of course).

Last edited by tardo (2007-05-31 18:20:20)

STiAT · 2007-05-31 18:56:47

Well, a sponsor you usually get after applying as a trusted user on the tur-users mailing lists (if someone decides to sponsor you, but i think for arch64 you might find a sponsor).

I've used gentoo when they released the first version - that was a nightmare .

My personal point of view in this case is, that sooner or later the majority will have 64 bit systems, the majority of software will be maintained for 64 bit. It's a start to be ready for the future in my eyes...

At the moment i also don't see the benefit. But i think anyway we'll sooner or later be forced to this step. Being ready for the future, even when it costs a lot of time, is always a great deal.

// STi

ganja_guru · 2007-06-01 13:52:17

STiAT wrote:

Well, it's the end of the month today. We can take a look at this together this weekend, since i have similar plans, any time (i don't know your timezone though, but i'm also willed to sleep daytime for this), in fact to have more test systems and can write a full wiki how-to for this.

good plan. I'm GMT +5.30. Please join #archlinux64 and message me.

ganja_guru · 2007-06-02 14:16:02

Ok I've hit a roadblock with my processor. Mine is an older athlon fx-55 and its not a 90mm chip. According to vmware:

"Segmentation support is missing from the initial AMD64 processors (that is, revision C and earlier) while running in long mode. As a result, AMD64 processors prior to revision D do not have an efficient mechanism for isolating the virtual machine monitor from 64-bit guest operating systems.
A limited form of segmentation was reintroduced in long mode, in revision D AMD64 processors. As a result, AMD64 processors must be revision D or later to run 64-bit guest operating systems.
Note: Because AMD Opteron and Turion processors do not ship in revision D, AMD Opteron and Turion 64 processors must be revision E or later to run 64-bit guest operating systems."

So I'm on a revision C or earlier. I got the 'long mode' error after the I hit enter and the "vmlinuz....." stuff flew by..."your CPU doesn't support long mode". The good news is

- the wiki article about installing vmware is nice and up to date.
- vmware is bloody simple to use.

Anyone here with a rev D or later processor.? the article about this is here http://www.vmware.com/info?id=152

(note: if your processor lists 'pni' in /proc/cpuinfo, im pretty sure its rev D or later.)

Ryochan7 · 2007-06-02 19:11:08

I have a laptop, System76 Gazelle Value, with Arch64 installed but I don't use it very often. I have made packages, particularly StepMania related packages, in the past that I had recently added x86_64 support for. However, a couple of weeks ago, I had decided to orphan all my old packages on the AUR. I would be willing to start back up with the AUR and help out Arch64 though. I have applied to become a TU twice but I could never get a sponsor; probably due to the fact that I am not that active in the forums or the IRC so people don't know me.

Last edited by Ryochan7 (2007-06-02 19:32:35)

ganja_guru · 2007-06-02 20:57:13

you really need to be more active for people to vote for you when you want to become a TU. make yourself heard on the ML...and maintain as many packages as you can

Arch Linux

#1 2007-05-29 18:37:24

Help Wanted for Community64

#2 2007-05-30 01:14:53

Re: Help Wanted for Community64

#3 2007-05-30 01:18:03

Re: Help Wanted for Community64

#4 2007-05-30 07:23:40

Re: Help Wanted for Community64

#5 2007-05-30 10:43:21

Re: Help Wanted for Community64

#6 2007-05-30 12:49:18

Re: Help Wanted for Community64

#7 2007-05-30 13:45:01

Re: Help Wanted for Community64

#8 2007-05-30 16:06:56

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#9 2007-05-30 16:31:10

Re: Help Wanted for Community64

#10 2007-05-30 16:46:04

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#11 2007-05-30 19:19:50

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#12 2007-05-30 21:10:23

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#13 2007-05-30 22:19:23

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#14 2007-05-31 01:04:40

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#15 2007-05-31 01:31:34

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#16 2007-05-31 12:45:56

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#17 2007-05-31 13:01:46

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#18 2007-05-31 13:17:31

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#19 2007-05-31 13:57:38

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#20 2007-05-31 18:20:06

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#21 2007-05-31 18:56:47

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#22 2007-06-01 13:52:17

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#23 2007-06-02 14:16:02

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#24 2007-06-02 19:11:08

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#25 2007-06-02 20:57:13

Re: Help Wanted for Community64

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