ARM64 - it's time!

[quote=481096:@Tim Jones]But, RPi is not the ONLY platform and it’s not like old Mac and Windows where you can build a 32bit app and it runs. For some ofthe ARM platforms, there is no 32bit or “multiverse” option, so we simply can’t build Xojo apps for those other platforms.

Maybe the Free ARM license should be locked to non-commercial, OSS use.[/quote]

That would be hard for Xojo to police & enforce
And I doubt they’d want to take that role on

If they decide to add 64 bit arm I wouldnt be surprised to see it as part of a paid for license option

Actually, this request hasn’t got much to do with the Raspberry Pi for me. Getting 64-bit ARM Linux builds brings the last remaining part of Xojo to the 64-bit world. It’s increasingly assumed in the Linux world, that if you’re wanting to run ARM Linux of some flavor, that it’s going to be 64-bit. Go to Ubuntu’s website, for example, and download their ARM server offering. It’s 64-bit, just by default, they don’t even offer 32-bit on the download page. (I assume it’s still available, buried somewhere on the site).

The goal of this thread is to bring together people who are interested in this and show Xojo that it would be of value. It’s not for one or two people to repeatedly post about how they’re not interested.

Almost all people that posted in this thread is identified as a Xojo Pro user, so I bet they don’t mind if others need to pay for that option.

[quote=481099:@Gavin Smith]Actually, this request hasn’t got much to do with the Raspberry Pi for me. Getting 64-bit ARM Linux builds brings the last remaining part of Xojo to the 64-bit world. It’s increasingly assumed in the Linux world, that if you’re wanting to run ARM Linux of some flavor, that it’s going to be 64-bit. Go to Ubuntu’s website, for example, and download their ARM server offering. It’s 64-bit, just by default, they don’t even offer 32-bit on the download page. (I assume it’s still available, buried somewhere on the site).

The goal of this thread is to bring together people who are interested in this and show Xojo that it would be of value. It’s not for one or two people to repeatedly post about how they’re not interested.[/quote]

Its same for me I don’t really use Raspeberry for anything else than testing, when its for something actual then I always use different ARM boards. And most of the better ones now are 64 bit and with 4 Gig of memory.

[quote=481097:@Norman Palardy]If they decide to add 64 bit arm I wouldnt be surprised to see it as part of a paid for license option
[/quote]
That would definitely work for me.

Hi Gavin,

I receive many requests for work on the Raspberry Pi, and the common denominator for requests from a client and my programming aspects are speed.

  1. if 64 bit makes Xojo apps run faster with Xojo, then yes.
  2. if implementing a better/different timer makes Xojo apps run faster with Xojo, then yes
  3. if optimizing Xojo code makes Xojo apps run faster with Xojo then yes.
  4. If implementing multi-core use with Xojo makes the apps run faster, then yes.

It really doesn’t matter to me if its ARM64 or not, the programs need to run faster with better and finer timing for hardware work with the Raspberry Pi. Will ARM64 implementation make Xojo apps run faster/better?

In my humble opinion, a recurring theme on the Pi (Raspbian), Windows, and other OS’s is that the most beneficial way for Xojo to be better is for Xojo code to increase optimization (faster programs, smaller programs, better quality, etc.). This can be broadly be said about all other programming languages and computers.

Xojo seems to be a shell. Meaning that a program to be used with Xojo seems to require plugins, declares, third party libraries, work-arounds, etc. If this is the direction that Xojo want to go, then thats ok, just make it known that this is the direction. To perform electronic work on the Pi (ARM64 or not) requires 3rd party libraries - again Xojo is just a shell. Its not a bad thing, This likely makes it very tough for Xojo to remain in the current market, as there are many different programming shells that heavily rely on third-parties to do the work for them such as Christian and Bjorn for their great plugins.

Adding ARM64 support fits the model of Xojo being a shell. This would allow other businesses to create third-party support for what Xojo doesn’t or possibly does not want to create. Its all good, it really seems like Xojo is a shell.

This is just my opinion when looking at Xojo as a paid customer.

I’m going to use the Pi as an example again, just because it’s really easy to get stats for and to do direct comparisons, but again, as much as I love it, the Raspberry Pi isn’t actually my focus here. Anyway, using a 64-bit OS on a Pi 4 pretty much gives performance increases across the board. Here are some good figures, produced on the Pi 4 with 64-Bit ARM Debian.

https://medium.com/@matteocroce/why-you-should-run-a-64-bit-os-on-your-raspberry-pi4-bd5290d48947

Only you, Rpi developers can advertise what you’ve done with it.

Maybe a web page with what each on you have done (a page or two of explanations / screen shots).

[quote=481121:@Emile Schwarz]Only you, Rpi developers can advertise what you’ve done with it.

Maybe a web page with what each on you have done (a page or two of explanations / screen shots).[/quote]
Will come once it’s completely ready to launch.

Well, I worked on my build system today and get future targets added.

On the way to do iOS, I also did some work on ARM64 and already build >100 plugins for ARM 64bit here.
The rest is more or less some work, but nothing difficult.

I also build an iOS plugin for testing.

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is Now Certified for the Raspberry Pi
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2020/05/ubuntu-20-04-lts-is-certified-for-the-raspberry-pi

[quote=479481:@Gavin Smith]It’s time for ARM64 builds.

Please support 64-bit ARM builds on Linux by adding any spare Feedback points you have to <https://xojo.com/issue/42794>

It’s currently the 19th most popular Feedback case. Tell Xojo what you want next.[/quote]

Now 7th.

And how long was Android 1st?

Feedback requests are not the only way they decide what to work on, there are lots of other factors. Anyway, a whole new Android target is an order of magnitude more complex than ARM64 builds would be.

(Now 6th.)

[quote=489598:@Gavin Smith]Feedback requests are not the only way they decide what to work on, there are lots of other factors. Anyway, a whole new Android target is an order of magnitude more complex than ARM64 builds would be.

(Now 6th.)[/quote]
So what was the purpose of your post above if not to imply that the feedback support was going to possibly drive a new decision at Xojo?

Like I said, Feedback requests are a contributing factor. There are many things that Xojo have implemented over the years after customer demand. I’m simply saying that it’s obviously not the only factor.

I just made it 5th.

It was down to 8th. I brought it back to 6th again.

I added few more points. Its now 5th.

@Björn Eiríksson, did you build your plugins already for ARM64?