Re: Have we become too Intel x64 centered?

From: Christopher Kormanyos (e_float_at_[hidden])
Date: 2021-01-23 18:14:14

  > The compiler list has shrunk to msvc/clang/gcc 
> as well.

> I note that at least in theory, other platforms/architectures could be 
> integrated into Drone CI (either the CppAlliance one, or our own), but 
> someone would have to offer to host the clients running the tests.

> Any thoughts/solutions?
Yes. Numerous... thoughts I guess.
Thanks for raising this issue.
Having spent half a lifetime in the exciting embeddedworld it's fascinating to see how "big" some of these"little" microcontrollers have become, and how wellcertain embedded compilers are actuallyrising to the challenge of keeping up withmodern C++ progress.
This post brings thoughts (back) to mind.* How cool would it be investigate more on whichpart(s) of Boost lend themselves well (or not)to deeply embedded systems.* How to leverage more power of cross-compiling.
* How to work toward more "green" CI philosophies.
Regarding these, you can already handilycross-build directly on your Ubuntu pipeline witharm-none-eabi for the architectures of"famous stars" like RPI and BBB. Little modificationsin bjam could handle cross compilers installedwith sudo apt. In fact, I recently set up somecross builds for arm-none-eabi-gcc onGitHub Actions.

OK, great... you say, build, but not run.They do not run at that point, but you find outlots of preliminary problems even trying to buildthe software on the cross-compiler.
Cross-compiling will in general make your codemore portable.
On the other note, I personally find that systemssuch as Raspberry PI and BeagleBone do, in fact,have comparatively high power-consumptionfor the actual yielded CPU power that is attainedfrom them. With relatively outdated cores,comparatively small caches and predominantlyoff-board RAM, they are at a disadvantage.Fast and modern microcontroller-based systemswith today's state-of-the-art embedded controllerscould be much more energy efficient. Thiswould be more on the research end of things,how to make a fast, future-ready, greenerembedded CI cluster...
Kind regards, Chris
   On Saturday, January 23, 2021, 12:21:13 PM GMT+1, John Maddock via Boost <boost_at_[hidden]> wrote:  
 
 I have no solution for this, but I note that neither do we have CI, nor 
tests on 
https://www.boost.org/development/tests/develop/developer/summary.html 
that aren't Intel x86.  The compiler list has shrunk to msvc/clang/gcc 
as well.

I note that at least in theory, other platforms/architectures could be 
integrated into Drone CI (either the CppAlliance one, or our own), but 
someone would have to offer to host the clients running the tests.

Any thoughts/solutions?

Cheers, John.

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