https://downloads.haskell.org/~ghc/6.4.2/docs/html/building/sec-porting-ghc.html#sec-booting-from-hc

< mspo> Bootstrapping GHC on a system without GHC already installed is achieved by taking the intermediate C files (known as HC
files) from another GHC compilation, compiling them using gcc to get a working GHC.
< dh> that is no longer supported.
< dh> or rather, that's what's no longer supported
< mspo> that is "kristerw's gcc 6.4.2 bootstrap kit"

< mspo> dh: what about building with a first-party ghc under linux emulation?
< mspo> https://downloads.haskell.org/~ghc/7.8.3/
< dh> I dunno

< dh> mspo: for ghc, to begin with, install lang/ghc (ghc 6.8) and try packaging 6.12
< dh> you need an i386 chroot for this, and it's a large slow build, but it's otherwise mostly ok
< dh> if you set it up so it'll build from an already-installed ghc 6.8, that's a good starting point
< dh> I have some stuff I can send you regarding how to rig it out for using a binary package as a bootstrap kit
< dh> meanwhile, I need to commit a gcc64 package (the ghc from the existing "source" bootstrap kit)
< dh> and a ghc68 package that's equivalent to the current lang/ghc but uses ghc64
< dh> both of these I have most of the work already done
< dh> then ideally we hack things so they can all be installed at once, debug ghc612, and then work on the most recent 7.x that
still builds on 6.12
< dh> packaging all the versions means binary bootstrap kits become less critical because anyone can make one
< dh> also, in the above s/gcc/ghc/g, fingers have "gcc" wired in
< dh> the idea is to have each ghc package support building either from a binary package of an older version, a binary package
of itself, an installed older version, or an installed itself
< mspo> dh: got it (I think)
< mspo> dh: I'm a littls scared about trying to make the jump to 64bit
< dh> and at some point we want to figure out ... that
< dh> but let's make i386-netbsd work first
< dh> using a 32-bit chroot for haskell is annoying but it's not critical