Message-ID: <CAGETcx_c2nfFQ++-FcsdUdLUo3e-oe07MkLgbuyrnq2FPrcsXQ@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2024 00:36:59 -0700
From: Saravana Kannan <saravanak@...gle.com>
To: "Bird, Tim" <Tim.Bird@...y.com>
Cc: "linux-embedded@...r.kernel.org" <linux-embedded@...r.kernel.org>, 
	"linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Boot-time initiative (SIG) thoughts and next steps

On Fri, Oct 25, 2024 at 11:18 AM Bird, Tim <Tim.Bird@...y.com> wrote:
>
> 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.

Hi Tim,

Thanks for organizing this and moving it forward! I'd be interested in
contributing to this effort as a lot of work I have done aligns with
the goals of this effort and boot time is of obvious value to Android.

> 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.

Can we instead keep this all a part of the kernel docs instead of the
wiki? Couple of reasons for that:
- Since the instructions can be kernel version specific (as things
change), it makes sense to have the document synced with the kernel.
- It's one less account to maintain and less chores for you.
- One less business approval to get in terms of contributing to
external sources.
- Less chance of bit rot. As people make changes, the docs are right
there to go fix.

Thanks,
Saravana

> = 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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