Request to enable Github Actions builds for s390x

[sudip-ibm]

Hello,

We are interested in adding s390x support to xmlsec GitHub Actions. We now have hosted GHA actions runners available for IBM Z and ppc64le and gradually onboarding open source communities to utilize it as we work on expanding the capacity. I'll be happy to engage with the community to see if this solution helps with the enablement.

An onboarding document(https://github.com/IBM/actionspz/blob/main/docs/FAQ.md) is available. If community agrees, we are glad to provide necessary support. Please let me know your thoughts.

Regards,
Sudip Roy

[lsh123]

I don't know if anybody is running xmlsec on IBM hardware. If there are users, then please let me know. Otherwise, it's probably not worth it.

[simo5]

I can tell that we build and use xmlsec on RHEL which is shipped for both s390x and powerpc architectures.
The value of s390x testing is in that it is the last big endian platform and catches bugs that are otherwise missed in little endian platforms, so that may be a value angle. OTOH once you get a bug it is not easy to debug unless you have access to s390x machines...

[lsh123]

After reading the docs, unfortunately, I don't think it is a good idea.

1/ The project doesn't qualify (https://github.com/IBM/actionspz/blob/main/docs/criteria.md). I don't care about those and don't see the need to do it just to make IBM happy:

• "The project must be governed by a documented community process." --
• "Preliminary validation work on IBM architectures must be completed prior to submitting an onboarding request."

2/ From https://github.com/IBM/actionspz/blob/main/docs/FAQ.md: (emphasis is mine) "This app requires ... read and write access to actions, administration, checks, and workflows for the repository selected for install". I honestly don't understand why I should give these permissions to IBM app.

[simo5]

Sounds like too much work for too little gain for you.
We have downstream testing of s390x builds through RHEL, should there be any serious issue we'll certainly bubble it up to upstream, it may come a little late, as we do not rebase immediately, but I do not think that will be a big deal.

[lsh123]

Thanks, appreciate it! I am not worried about work, it doesn't seem too bad actually. I am just not sure I want to deal with IBM in the first place with not clear and obvious benefits :)

[rposts]

1/ The project doesn't qualify (https://github.com/IBM/actionspz/blob/main/docs/criteria.md). I don't care about those and don't see the need to do it just to make IBM happy:

Hi @lsh123 - I checked with the team at IBM on the criteria and xmlsec is indeed eligible. We also do regular currency on it and haven't noticed any show stoppers on s390x arch.

2/ From https://github.com/IBM/actionspz/blob/main/docs/FAQ.md: (emphasis is mine) "This app requires ... read and write access to actions, administration, checks, and workflows for the repository selected for install". I honestly don't understand why I should give these permissions to IBM app.

If I am not mistaken, CI systems added via GitHub Marketplace require those permission and we have been working on reducing them as much as possible. It will be great to have CI enabled for s390x.

Thanks!