ARM Cortex-A8 port of RISC OS 5: first screenshot

An ambitious attempt to port the RISC OS Open sources to the new-fangled ARM Cortex-A8 architecture (as used in various gadgets) has produced its first promising screenshot - although there is still plenty of work to be done. However RISCOS Ltd is still grumbling about licences, claiming that a non-Iyonix ROM image from ROOL sources can't be released. Meanwhile, RISC OS Open has joined an ARM community programme to boost its profile among other developers.

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Discussion

I read through the discussion at [link] and thought that this really is a most exciting development. It's particularly encouraging that there are still a good number of G&T* folks in the RISC OS areana. I refuse to believe that RISCOS Ltd would stop this happening - I know there is a good dialogue between RISCOS Ltd and ROOL - I'm confident they can work something out. The big challenge must be the port itself - Good luck with the technicalities guys - it's way beyond what I could cope with. (*G&T:Gifted and talented - education speak) martin on 23/2/09 7:59AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Good news indeed. It is important that RISC OS be running on the fastest available native hardware and this development is a step in the right direction. Martin>RISC OS Limited *don't* have anything to do with this. Any negative interference from them would only damage their standing in the RISC OS community and the project would still continue anyway. On that basis I don't believe they will. AMS on 23/2/09 8:40AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

It's important for this project to succeed, as RISC OS can only claim to be a live platform if it runs natively on up-to-date hardware. Fortunately it seems to be going well. As to RISC OS Ltd, surely this is only a continuation of the de facto native hardware vs. emulation competition we had with Iyonix vs. VRPC, and as such is to be welcomed: a faster-running native hardware solution should put pressure on VRPC to improve their offering. Furthermore, AMS is right: any attempt to frustrate the A8 port would surely incur the wrath of a large section of the active community. bucksboy on 23/2/09 10:44AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Isn't there going to be a 5.14 release for Iyonix users from Castle first as suggested on the ROOL website? AW on 23/2/09 7:12PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

This may sound thick, but I'm struggling to see this screenshot. Mark7 on 24/2/09 11:43PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

AW>I suspect we'll see an RO 5.14 release from Castle *first* (after all the Pandora port is a work in progress and therefore something for the future, while the RO5.14 update is just awaiting testing - presumably by Castle - before it becomes available to general users for to "flash" onto their machines). AMS on 25/2/09 8:42AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Here's a screenshot of this page. I'm using Firefox. Is there anything missing? Like, say, a screenshot of RISCOS running on an ARM Cortex-A8 [link] Mark7 on 25/2/09 9:41AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

@Mark7: the screenshot is in the "visit this news quickie" link, specifically here: [link] Jaffa on 25/2/09 10:29AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

There's a long discussion on this taking place at [link] Regards, Martin martin on 25/2/09 6:17PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

A long and tedious discussion about ROOL/ROL licencing and hoovers. Monty on 26/2/09 8:27PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

I profoundly disagree, the hoover comments were mercifully pretty short unlike the rest of the licensing commentary Perhaps next time someone could post a thread about licensing and it could be hijacked to discuss the more significant (and positive) issue of getting RISC OS running on more modern ARM hardware. The only thing better than that is seeing new native hardware running RISC OS - now that would be nice ! AMS on 26/2/09 11:39PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Of course, when it is, there'll still a big whole where the reason for using it should be. I don't ignore VirtualAcorn because of the speed, but because it hasn't got basic modern functionality at the moment. Hopefully the interest created by a new machine and an open sourced OS will lure new developers, but I do think its worth reminding ourselves that being released on modern hardware will not make Riscos a viable system---only *enable the creation* of a viable system. For example, if there is a very low cost machine available, I will switch my efforts back from initially developing the braille cell display exclusevely for Windows to developing it for Riscos also, as originally planned. Monty on 27/2/09 1:24AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

I think speed and functionality are interrelated: wasn't development of Cino discontinued when it became apparent that the Iyonix was not capable of the required video playback frame rate? If that capability had been present, much of the lacking multimedia capability could have been addressed. bucksboy on 27/2/09 3:15PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

For Cino, wasn't it more lack of documentation of the graphics card? This meant that all the work had to be done by the processor. DVD playes were then available for £30 (and falling). The amount of work needed to get the required performance would never get paid for by the number of potential sales at that sort of price. (Note, Kinoamp can manage half the required frame rate in optimum circumstances. And I don't think the developer even has an Iyonix to test it on.) However the goal posts have moved anyway, with HDTV. jess on 1/3/09 11:06AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Here's a link to an article that I feel might be of interest? [link] A Dell RISC PC - Laptop? GRIN... Mac9 on 28/2/09 5:19PM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

Jess: re Cino, you are quite correct - I had forgotten the other factors you mention. I think my basic point, that hardware capability and application development are mutually dependent, is still valid though. Mac9: indeed - let's hope! bucksboy on 4/3/09 7:38AM [ Reply | Permalink | Report ]

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