Hello,
As you are probably aware, the NetBSD project will once
again participate
in the Google Summer of Code 2006. We are currently
compiling a list of
possible projects, but seeing how our userbase communicates
primarily via
our mailing lists, I thought I should bring your attention
to these
projects.
If you are interested in participating in the Summer of Code
as as
student, it would be best if you would start discussing your
proposal on
this list. You also want to take a look at
ht
tp://www.netbsd.org/contrib/soc-application.html for a
list of questions
you should be able to answer in your application.
The projects relating to topics on this mailing list are:
* Support for MMU-less systems -- NetBSD currently requires
a system
with an MMU. This obviously limits the portability. We'd
be
interested in an implementation/port of NetBSD on/to an
MMU-less
system.
* Port NetBSD to Sharp's Zaurus PDA.
* Support for MIPS16e ISA -- NetBSD currently supports the
MIPS32 ISA,
but does not include support for the MIPS16e extension,
which would
be very useful for reducing the size of binaries for some
kinds of
embedded systems. This is very much like the ARM thumb
instructions.
* Support for MIPS64 ISA -- NetBSD currently runs on 64-bit
MIPS
processors, but only in 32-bit mode. It would be nice to
be able to
run a true 64-bit OS on those processors.
* Support for sun4v (UltraSPARC T1) -- It would be nice to
support
these newer highly SMP processors from Sun. A Linux port
already
exists, and Sun has contributed code to the FOSS
community.
The complete list of project ideas is available online at
http://ww
w.netbsd.org/contrib/projects.html
-Jan
P.S.: Discussions (and implementations) of any of these
projects is of
course welcome regardless of whether or not you are a
student or intend
to apply for the SoC. 
--
Tradition is the illusion of permanence. -- Woody Allen
|