[LLVMdev] Call for Help: Testing

[David Greene]

On Tuesday 06 April 2010 13:08:25 Dustin Laurence wrote:
> On 04/06/2010 09:52 AM, David Greene wrote:
> > The second problem is the lack of x86-32 testing on Linux.  This is only
> > going to get worse as x86-32 desktops and servers continue to disappear.
> >
> > Pretty much the only way you'll get an x86-32 these days is by purchasing
> > an Atom netbook or laptop.  Unfortunately, these kinds of devices don't
> > suit themselves well to testing as they frequently aren't connected to
> > the 'net.
>
> While x86-32 disappears, virtualization becomes ubiquitous along with
> x86-64.  What about running your tests in x86-32 guests under KVM or
> Xen?  That seems like it would solve everything on the infrastructure
> you already have.  You can run any guest OS you want, too.

That's an even better idea than running x86-32 on x86-64 because it
better emulates a whole 32-bit environment.  I'll see if I can
set up such a beast on my box at home.  Unfortunately, KVM+Qemu has
been pretty flaky for me.

> > I have a netbook I can add to the testing pool.  If enough other people
> > do the same perhaps we'll have at least a few up at any one time.
>
> I've bothered the list with stupid questions about my toy project before
> and plan to do so much more in the future as my real LLVM project gets
> moving, so I ought to see if I can donate some cycles.  I know nothing
> about your testing infrastructure, but I do have a 32-bit laptop that is
> only getting occasional use.  How hard would it be to put it to use at
> least until you ship?

It's not hard.  Basically, you set up a buildbot and then contact Daniel to
exchange unique identifiers and passwords that he enters into the buildbot
server and you set up on the client.

                                 -Dave