AIX and OpenJDK

[David Holmes]

Stepping up a level I think we need to address the way we currently 
arrange our sources and build files along OS/architecture lines before 
trying to integrate any further ports into mainline (including the OSX 
port that is currently off-to-the-side in 7u-osx). The initial scheme 
(Windows else not-Windows-but-lets-call-it-Solaris) simply does not 
expand cleanly and we do not want an explosion of ifdefs in the native 
code (I welcome the attempt to use capability-based schemes here where 
feasible).

Relatedly we have two major upheavals to the source and build systems in 
the pipeline: modules and the new build-infra project. These will have 
enough impact on their own, without trying to somehow merge two ports 
(OSX and AIX) at the same time.

So to that end a porting project with custom workspaces is the best way 
to go in my opinion as it means the port can be created based on current 
layouts and be made available to those wanting it, then over time, and 
probably for post JDK8, get updated to handle modules and the new build 
system.

Just my personal opinions.

David Holmes

On 31/01/2012 8:49 PM, Steve Poole wrote:
>
> hi all,
>
> Last year there was a discussion [1] about adding AIX platform support
> into OpenJDK. I'd like to pick up that conversation and complete this work.
>
> To recap the salient points of the thread:
>
> 1: The scale of the changes to support AIX without Hotspot are small ( ~
> 300 LOC) There are an additional 19 new files that cover AIX specific
> build files and providing necessary support for AIX specific filesystem,
> virtual machine and process attributes in the same manner as is already
> done for Linux, Solaris and Windows etc. Generally the changes have been
> coded as capability based rather than platform focused. These changes
> are easy to understand and help towards improving platform portability.
>
> 2: Generally AIX is very close to both Linux and Solaris. As you would
> expect we will help ensure OpenJDK developers do not break things where
> they do not have access to an AIX machine.
>
> 3: This work will faciliate the porting of Hotspot to AIX but IBM
> intends to focus on our own JVM at this time (as you would imagine). We
> will make a binary of the JVM available for OpenJDK developers who want
> early access on AIX of ongoing work in JDK8 and AIX.
>
> I said I would post more when all the changes under item 2 above had
> been posted. That's basically now. I'd like to pick up the conversation
> again and resolve how to get the remaining files into OpenJDK so it's
> possible to build and run JDK 8 on AIX.
>
> I do not consider that the scale of these changes warrant a porting
> project all of their own. Does anyone have a reason why I shouldn't just
> start posting the additional files with the intention of getting them
> added into the main JDK8 repos?
>
> Steve
>
> [1]
> http://mail.openjdk.java.net/pipermail/porters-dev/2011-October/000363.html
>