Compilers For The Zaurus, Compiling should be easy! Options

[snowfarthing]

Zaurus seems to lack straightforward tools for development.

This last couple of weeks I tried to compile an altered version of IRK (so that I could type Dvorak on my Targus and experiment with the layout). I didn't get very far, though, because I couldn't figure out what I needed to set up a compiling environment in a timely manner. I'm not even sure whether I could use Bitbake, or how to set up a non-2.95 cross-compiler (since I use OpenZaurus 3.5.4)!

It would be very nice if a tarball could be made that will set up all the needed tools immediately, all in one go, so that all that would be necessary would be to type something like

CODE

./configure
zmake

or something like

CODE

gcc-zaurus myprog.cpp

to cross-compile something for the Zaurus.

Furthermore, I would really like to be able to compile things in OpenZaurus directly, in an emulator, using a native compiler toolchain. I know from experience that it is very discouraging to try to set up such an environment! It would be really nice to be able to install a zaurus-compiler.ipk package that will give a hobbyist make, gcc, and so forth, the ability to try to compile whatever programs that tickles their fancy (particularly math programs in my case).

When I originally got my Zaurus, I looked forward to being able to do things like this. It's a little frustrating that doing this is just out of my reach! (But I still like my Zaurus; between Python and the fact that I can request something like this makes my Zaurus much closer to that ideal than a Palm or my old Windows-CE Cassiopeia!)

[snowfarthing]

It helps to know why I need gcc-2.95, which is also why I should probably upgrade to 3.4.5.2-rc1. (I've decided to wait for >1GB SD card support, though.)

Unfortunately, it turns out that I already have gcc-2.95 installed, which means that I'll now have to hunt down the problem when I get the chance! (I think this process would be less frustrating if I had more time to devote to it. As it is, it feels kindof weird to take a week to discover a problem, then another to solve it.)