Message-ID:
 <MW5PR13MB5632321E93B031C0E107DB38FD4F2@MW5PR13MB5632.namprd13.prod.outlook.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2024 18:17:20 +0000
From: "Bird, Tim" <Tim.Bird@...y.com>
To: "linux-embedded@...r.kernel.org" <linux-embedded@...r.kernel.org>
CC: "linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Boot-time initiative (SIG) thoughts and next steps

Hey Linux developers,

The response to my request to form a Special Interest Group for boot-time reduction
for Linux has been really great.  Many people contacted me by e-mail and on LinkedIn.

I had hoped to push out a script today to start to gather data on boot-time on different
platforms, for people to run who had expressed interest in helping with this effort. But
I got overwhelmed with other tasks, and I may not get it done today.  I'll be in Tokyo next
week for Open Source Summit Japan.  If you are there, please try to catch me and say hi.
Given that, I'll see how soon I can provide the script I'm talking about, and we can
discuss the goals and design of the script.

A couple of quick things:
There are lots of things to discuss, but here are a few things to get started with...

= wiki account =
The wiki where we'll be maintaining information about 
boot time, and about activities of the boot time SIG, is the elinux wiki.
The page we'll be focusing on is: https://elinux.org/Boot_Time.
If you are interested in helping update and maintain the information there
(which I hope almost everyone is), then please make sure you have a user
account on the wiki.
If you don't have one, please go here:
https://elinux.org/Special:RequestAccount
I have to manually approve accounts in order to fight spambots.  It might
take a few days for me to get to your request.  It's very helpful if you
put a comment in one of the request fields about this being related to
the boot-time initiative or SIG, so I can distinguish your request from
spam requests.

= support for new developers =
A number of developers have asked me if they can participate and contribute,
even if they are not seasoned Linux kernel developers.  The answer is "Yes"!
I hope to provide a range of activities for people to provide data, help update
the wiki, implement and run tests and perform research - even if they don't have
any previous Linux development experience.  I hope it will be fun to participate,
and very educational.

If you are new to Linux and have just joined this group, please review some
of the material on the Boot_Time page mentioned above.  We will be covering
more than just the kernel in the project, but one place to get started will be
to look at the kernel source file init/main.c, particularly the function start_kernel()
(which is where a lot of the "magic" happens at kernel startup time.)
Don't be afraid to ask questions.  Please ask them on this list so that others benefit
from any answers provided.

= short-term plans =
I am building out the "membership" of the SIG over the very short term.  I have
some more individuals and companies to contact to see who wants to be involved.

Other things I'd like to do are:
 * start gathering boot timing data for different systems (using the script I described above)
 * start pruning obsolete information and refactoring the boot-time material on the elinux wiki
    * (Yes - some of the material there is quite dated, so be sure to check it out before you try to
       use some tool or technique - if something doesn't work, please send an e-mail or mark it in the wiki)
 * discuss planning for SIG video conference calls and meetings
     * I know I'm interested in having a boot-time micro-conference at Embedded Linux
     Conference next year - but we need to discuss if we want regular calls or other face-to-face
      meetings
 * perform a survey of existing boot-time reduction techniques, and see where they are
    in the pipeline of upstreaming or deployment in actual products
 * finally (for this list), brainstorm what activities the SIG should do, and how we can
    collaborate on those.  I've started a list at: https://elinux.org/Boot_Time_Project_Ideas
    that you can look at and comment on (either on this list, or on the wiki).

I'll be busy with business travel and Sony work next week, but I hope I still
find some time to follow up on this .  I look forward to working with many of you
reading this, on improving this area of Linux.
 -- Tim

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