KarmicMarvellUNR

Summary

This specification tracks the status of support for the Ubuntu Netbook Remix on Marvell ARM hardware for the Karmic 9.10 cycle.

Release Note

Ubuntu 9.10 introduces support for the Ubuntu Netbook Remix on ARM Marvell hardware.

Rationale

Ubuntu is extending support to Marvel ARM hardware for Karmic. ARM hardware is a logical base platform for building newer ARM based Netbooks and "Smartbooks". UNR is already offered as a desktop environment for Intel based Netbooks today.

Requirements

  • 2.6.31 series kernel for Marvell lands in Ubuntu git tree
  • redboot (or uboot) sources for the Marvell materialize, and are merged into the redboot-imx package in the archive.
  • Additional Marvell hardware for testing and debugging becomes available
  • Requires 3D on Xorg for clutter.

Implementation

Most implementation issues are at the system level related to device enablement.

UI Changes

The ARM UNR image will offer the same user experience as found for Intel UNR netbooks. Hence, no specific UI changes are anticipated as part of this spec other than those required for booting using u-boot.

Code Changes

  • ubuntu-cdimage
    • Needs to have new SoC added for Marvell hardware - Format required for image currently unknown, but will be using u-boot as a bootloader.
  • linux kernel
    • No 30-31 codedrop currently available - Changes need merging in our kernel mainline.
    • UNR requires 3d driver support.
  • debian-installer/base-installer/ubiquity/libdebian-installer
    • New subarchitecture needs to be defined for Marvell hardware; required for alternate and livecd builds and installers to be successful
  • flash-kernel
    • Subarchitecture detection will have to be updated to detect Marvell SoC - Will need to be extended for whatever method required to update uboot and the kernel
  • iso.qa.ubuntu.com
    • Will need to be updated for imx51 for karmic (requires RT ticket filed, should be done after we have images building)
  • Ubuntu-Netbook-Remix
    • Some packages which do not work on ARM need to be patched or if not required then removed.

Migration

  • New HW support, no migration support is needed.

Test/Demo Plan

Existing UNR test cases for Intel can be used to test UNR ARM image.

Unresolved issues

  • No 30-31 kernel drop
  • Lack of development hardware for the team


CategorySpec

Specs/KarmicMarvellUNR (last edited 2009-08-07 10:42:09 by 89)