Building GDB for debugging on ARM

I needed a way to run a remote gdb session on an ARM system from an Linux PC.

Useful link:

https://sourceware.org/gdb/wiki/BuildingCrossGDBandGDBserver

Building gdb from source, configure with:

./configure --target=arm-linux-gnueabi

make 

This leads to a gdb binary that runs on the host Linux PC but has an ARM target 

architecture.

Similarly a gdbserver can be built for the target machine with:

./configure --host=arm-linux-gnueabi

make 

On the target system we run gdbserver:

gdbserver :8888 

Note this can be a stripped binary.

On the host PC we run gdb:

file 

target remote :port

cont

Book read: Harrier by Johnathan Glancey

BBC fires 1000 people

Interesting article on the BBC seeing a shortfall of licence payers because of the availability of iPlayer and other online media.

Failure to move with the times, the charter renewal will surely have to cover how they are funded or what they can make money on.

http://arstechnica.co.uk/business/2015/07/bbc-axes-1000-jobs-due-to-growing-popularity-of-online-video-streaming/

Type 45 review

I have always wanted to find time to read a national audit office report particularly on our defence industry.  They are surprisingly accessible this one is about the Type 45:

http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/0809295.pdf

Building any sort of warship is an expensive exercise and the NAO are looking at cost overruns and how they could be mitigated.  The government is always looking to secure "hi-tech" jobs as well as provide a capability.  They generally achieve both but at greater cost.

These are really expensive warships, and Britain only ended up buying 6 of the planned 12.  Each ship is just over £1bn.  This buys the UK a "state of the art" air defence capability.

Some of the claims feel a little over stretched, a lot of the time making you feel the need to know that one ship is more capable then many Type 42 put together.

The problem lies in that with two aircraft carriers on the way, only one would be able to be at sea with 2 or 3 Type 45's as escort.  We've bought an expensive capability and too little of it to be useful for our constrained budget.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_45_destroyer#Propulsion

Film: Jurassic World Directed by Colin Trevorrow

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0369610/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

This film was better than expected.  Within the confines of an action movie were some interesting themes of corporate soulnessess, American ways of life, and tired theme park culture.

Plus good action shots too and not a neat happy ending.

Film: Being John Malkovich Directed by Spike Jonze

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/

Fermi Paradox

Great video on the Fermi paradox on youtube:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNhhvQGsMEc