On Tue, 07 Dec 2004 01:48:51 +0100, Bastian Balthazar Bux wrote:

> Georgi Georgiev wrote:
>>>the ones installed by sys-kernel/linux26-headers are in
>>>/usr/include/linux. BTW can someone explain me why this package exist?
>>>It's not enaugh the linux ones, the only answer I can give myself is not
>>>to be constricted to recompile a bunch of programs every time u change
>>>kernel. It's the right answer ?
>>>    
>>>    
>>>
>>glibc compiles against the headers in /usr/include/linux. Programs that
>>link against glibc (read: all programs) need to include the headers that
>>glibc was built against in order to link properly. These headers need to
>>always correspond to the version that glibc was compiled against. Hence
>>the warnings that the linux-headers ebuild spits out at installation,
>>reminding you to recompile glibc next.
>>
>>
>>  
> mmmh I belive you but in this case why not keep gentoo-dev-sources and
> linux26-headers and avoid download of two kernel sources, or ask at the
> installer which kernel he/she want to run ?

Because programs may break against the latest headers. I had problems when
I first tried linux26-headers on my system, because iptables for example
failed to compile. Considering how often external kernel modules fail
because of changes to the kernel structures, it is understandable that the
version of the headers you use to compile your userland applications has
to be a tested one, and not necessarily related to the version of the
kernel you are running.

-- 
\    Georgi Georgiev   \  Never trust a child farther than you can     \
 /    chutz@...     / throw it.                                     /
\   +81(90)6266-1163   \                                               \



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