Re: [PATCH] enable multiboot2 loader on i386-ieee1275

[Robert Millan]

On Wed, Jan 23, 2008 at 11:13:15AM +0100, Marco Gerards wrote:
> Robert Millan <address@hidden> writes:
> 
> >> Can't you use a tag for the pointer?
> >
> > We can, but that's not useful.  If we can't make them compatible, I find it
> > more feasible to write a separate loader for OFW images.
> 
> Why not?

Because right now you can turn an existing ELF program into Multiboot-compliance
with only adding three lines:

        .long   0xe85250d6
        .long   0
        .long   -0xe85250d6

this will allow you to boot it with GRUB.  OTOH, if you have to add support
for tag processing, and change the way it initialises its callback pointer,
that makes it less worthwile.

> > Though I don't see why not do it.  The boot abi is already compatible on
> > PowerPC:
> >
> >   
> > http://grub.enbug.org/MultibootDraft#head-198f9346038a3782a8263de281dd9cf2eb2759a8
> 
> Do you suggest to change the interface for x86?

Yes.  Multiboot2 is still a draft and not widely used (not even in comparison to
Multiboot1).  I don't think it's a big problem to change this.

-- 
Robert Millan

<GPLv2> I know my rights; I want my phone call!
<DRM> What use is a phone call… if you are unable to speak?
(as seen on /.)