verifiable source-only bootstrap from scratch

[ahojlm at 0w.se]

On Wed, Mar 08, 2023 at 09:16:52PM +0000, Jeremiah at pdp10.guru wrote:
> >> we build all the way up from hex0 to modern GCC+Linux+Guile and include
> >> all of the tools needed by a modern Linux Distro.
> > Yes, I know. The VSOBFS project does not pursue the goal to begin from hex0.
> As is entirely a valid choice
> 
> >> and you seem to depend upon a POSIX kernel written in C that requires
> >> TCC to compile it.
> > No I don't, or may be you mean something else, then please clarify.
> The requirements listed on your site are:
> 1) a POSIX-like OS on a 32+ bit CPU as a host for the building procedure
> 2) an ANSI (C89) compatible C compiler for the host OS
> and your project builds a kernel (minix-vmd) which is written in C which
> requires TCC (or GCC or Clang) to compile it.
> 
> So in bootstrapping terms, the only kernel that is bootstrapped that
> matches your requirements is Fiwix and at that point minix-vmd is a step
> backwards as Fiwix is able to build Linux and minix-vmd is not.

The only kernel that is bootstrapped in the VSOBFS project is Minix-vmd.
And, well, it suffices for building Linux (there is nothing technically
special with Linux).

> If you mean something else when you say bootstrappable and verifiable
> builds; then perhaps you could be correct.

This is nothing else than your personal opinion.

As far in this discussion as we are in, we disagree on the crucial point
whether the projects you are involved in are the ultimate and the only
needed solution. Please note that this thread is not about your projects
and stay on topic.

> But as I understand the term bootstrappable, you are starting on done
> and taking a step backwards and claiming to have gotten there first;

The step is not backwards but in a direction you actually did not look at.
Please stop being rude and I kindly ask you to leave this thread.

> which doesn't seem fair to the dozens of people who spent the last 5
> years actually bootstrapping everything.

This was their choice to spend their time in this way.
I do not pretend to be "first" or "better" implementing their, in my view,
misdirected efforts.

For further background, VSOBFS is a child of another project which _runs_
"minimal binary seed reproducible bootstrap" since 2017 [sic]. If you take
me to the court, I will present the proof and let you pay my expenses.
Enough said.

Best regards,
 an