Linux without the GNU toolchain 5100

Mark South

OK - let's tell some experience of mine, why I did ask.

In the late 1960's we built a computer in the Helsinki was one of the team of four to get it up and running without any helper software whatsoever. The only software there was in the whole world for the processor was a diode matrix of 14 words for booting from paper tape. No cross- tools could be used.

How far would you like to go to separate Linux and the tools?

Of course, it is possible to use your own translators for the kernel, if they support some kind of buttembly code linking (and for an 80x86, 16-bit buttembly for start-up). You just have to wade through the kernel sources and convert all GNU -specific constructions to something suited for your toolchain.

IMHO, the binary utilities and runtime libraries are more tedious to write than a C compiler (which, as GCC, just converts C to buttembly source). Also, if you want to get rid of GNU material, you have to re-write all the base utilities, like file system creators and checkers etc. You cannot build a running system without them.

HTH

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Tauno Voipio tauno voipio (at) iki fi