Projects

This is a list of several Free Software projects that I'm either investigating or actively working on.

Vesta SCM

Vesta SCM is a software configuration management system. I've used over a dozen source control and software configuration management systems, and only Vesta does the job right. Since starting Rattlesnake Hill Technologies Inc., I'm using the Vesta SCM, and hosting a public repository on one of my personal servers. Unfortunately, work on Vesta has been stalled since 2009. It's my intension to assist the Vesta development team in advancing the software.

The Vesta project is hosted on SourceForge at http://vesta.sourceforge.net; and at http://www.vestasys.org

I've had some trouble with Vesta when running either the client or the server on Ubuntu GNU/Linux. I'm currently in the process of converting my machines to Debian GNU/Linux. When the conversion is complete, I'll host the Vesta sources and any contributions I create on a Vesta repository at http://risicato.org/. The web interface to the repository will be active at http://risicato.org/vestaweb/?path=/vesta&

I'm currently writing a scripts that will automatically add Debian distribution packages to the repository, making them available to Vesta's build environment. A second script will scan tools already imported into the repository, and modify them so that all tools follow a common format.

A build system that I had developed back in 2003 for Vesta will be dusted off, updated and be placed into my repository. From 2003, this system could target GNU/Linux using GCC and Java. I plan to extend the system to add the ability to cross compile on GNU/Linux, and target Microsoft Windows (both 32bit and 64bit.) I've also heard from one of the Vesta authors that they're investigating the possibility of storing virtual machines running Microsoft Windows in the repository that would be used vruntool to allow builds to take place on a Microsoft Windows platform.

As far as modifying the actual Vesta system, I expect to be looking into the virtual file system provided by Vesta. Files are currently exported using an NFSv2 interface. I'll be evaluating the possible upgrade options. At the moment, the options appear to be upgrading to NFSv4, or creating a FUSE file system into the repository.

GNU/Linux

I'm planning to take to set of Linux kernel sources, and place them into the Vesta SCM, and build a running kernel using Vesta SDL. Once completed, I want to apply the Xenomai real-time patches for a dual kernel configuration and build a running kernel. This dual kernel configuration would then be installed on a BeagleBone Black<\a> (ARM Cortex-A8) and tested for performance.