[kaffe] System code and kaffe

[Berlin Brown]

Of course, I think kaffe will benefit if SUN java goes open source.  That
would be fun.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dalibor Topic" <robilad@kaffe.org>
To: <bbrown@khafra.com>
Cc: <kaffe@kaffe.org>
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2004 10:34 AM
Subject: Re: [kaffe] System code and kaffe


> Hi Berlin,
>
> Berlin Brown wrote:
> > I do system work and want to use kaffe and java for system code.  I
could use C, but I think it would be interesting to use kaffe.  So for
example, I was thinking of building a custom loader and linker and also
including interfaces for devices, assembly language etc.  My design thus far
is, use kaffe to create .class files, run my system which parses the byte
code and then create .object files, the object files will then be
executable.  Ideally I want ELF and binary code.  Is this insane?  Is there
something out there that does this.  GCJ is too complex.
>
> If you want to hack on kaffe, you're most cordially welcome!
>
> Your idea is not half as insane as you may think. The basic building
> blocks are there already.
>
> Kaffe already has a gcj interface (unmaintained atm) that you may want
> to look into [1]. With some work to catch up with the lot of recent gcj
> development, it should be possible to make kaffe work with gcj'ed files
> again.
>
> Pocketlinux kaffe fork has another gcj interface that works with a
> patched gcj. I assume that they would have hooks to work with gcj-ed
> code as well, that would be nice to look into.
>
> ELF loaders exist even in pure java [2]. You may also want to use the
> ELF loading implementation from Archie Cobbs' JC [3].
>
> Just make sure you're not tainted by reading Sun's sources/decompiling
> their implementation or signed an NDA that prevents you from
> contributing to Kaffe. Kaffe is a clean-room effort in order to avoid
> anyone pulling a SCO on it.
>
> cheers,
> dalibor topic
>
> [1] See FAQ/FAQ.gcj for details.
> [2] See http://emulin.netfort.gr.jp/ for a pure java X86 emulator that
> supports ELF loading, as far as I can tell.
> [3] http://mail.gnu.org/archive/html/classpath/2004-02/msg00042.html
>