README revision 10284 
1This is the gem5 simulator.
2
3The main website can be found at http://www.gem5.org
4
5A good starting point is http://www.gem5.org/Introduction, and for
6more information about building the simulator and getting started
7please see http://www.gem5.org/Documentation and
8http://www.gem5.org/Tutorials.
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10To build gem5, you will need the following software: g++ or clang,
11Python (gem5 links in the Python interpreter), SCons, SWIG, zlib, m4,
12and lastly protobuf if you want trace capture and playback
13support. Please see http://www.gem5.org/Dependencies for more details
14concerning the minimum versions of the aforementioned tools.
15
16Once you have all dependencies resolved, type 'scons
17build/<ARCH>/gem5.opt' where ARCH is one of ALPHA, ARM, NULL, MIPS,
18POWER, SPARC, or X86. This will build an optimized version of the gem5
19binary (gem5.opt) for the the specified architecture. See
20http://www.gem5.org/Build_System for more details and options.
21
22With the simulator built, have a look at
23http://www.gem5.org/Running_gem5 for more information on how to use
24gem5.
25
26The basic source release includes these subdirectories:
27   - configs: example simulation configuration scripts
28   - ext: less-common external packages needed to build gem5
29   - src: source code of the gem5 simulator
30   - system: source for some optional system software for simulated systems
31   - tests: regression tests
32   - util: useful utility programs and files
33
34To run full-system simulations, you will need compiled system firmware
35(console and PALcode for Alpha), kernel binaries and one or more disk
36images. Please see the gem5 download page for these items at
37http://www.gem5.org/Download
38
39If you have questions, please send mail to gem5-users@gem5.org
40
41Enjoy using gem5 and please share your modifications and extensions.
42