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Jason Stubbs wrote: |
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> Ahem? |
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> |
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> I think the main point to the discussion is new users. I, too, have never used |
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> genkernel so don't know how viable the idea of using it in its current state |
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> would be. Nor am I admonishing that it should be the "only way to go". |
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> However, everything in Gentoo is configured, compiled and installed through |
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> the single emerge command. It would make most sense to me to choose what |
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> classes of drivers/functionality I wanted through USE flags and then do |
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> post-installation configuration through /etc/modules.autoload*. Can anyone |
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> say why the kernel is special and should be done differently? - other than if |
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> it ain't broke don't fix it! |
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> I'm with almost all other people in that it would not be a high priority for |
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> some time to come. On the other hand, I'm against people who are putting |
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> forward arguments that the kernel is somehow special. Almost every other |
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> package is installed with extra cruft so that can't be used as an excuse. |
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> Gentoo is about making things easier for everyone which means safe defaults |
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> and easily accessible complete customisation, so Luke-Jr's idea at least |
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> deserves consideration rather than instant dismissal. |
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> |
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> Jason |
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Honestly, the kernel is special. Everyone has a different x86 |
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machine...different NIC card, sound card, video card, motherboard, IDE |
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chipset, scsi card, CPU....Some have V4L, some have I2C stuff, some have |
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parallel ports, some have ISA, some have PCI, some have both, some have |
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serial console, some have radeons, some have nvidias.....See the point? |
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x86 is *way* too diverse an architecture to configure solely through USE |
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Flags. How can it be set so we know whether someone has a VIA IDE |
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chipset and not an SiS, or how someone have a RealTek 8139-based NIC |
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card, and whether they need the old RealTek driver, or the newer one? |
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As much as we all love Gentoo for it's ability to configure things |
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easily (in most cases), the kernel to me is just that one little nuance |
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that stands apart from the base system. Everyone should learn how to |
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configure their kernel, in my opinion. It is probably the one thing |
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every linux distro should teach people how to do. The advantages far |
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outweigh the disadvantages, and by building their own kernel, the user |
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becomes aware of what is inside their machine. |
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genkernel is a great idea, and kudos to the original author. But |
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genkernel is aimed at being a temporary solution to help a user get |
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their system up and running quickly. Then they'll eventually sit down |
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and configure their own kernel. Right now, genkernel is just an option. |
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Users don't have to use it if they don't want to, and this should stay |
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that way as it fits with Gentoo's philosophy of providing user's with |
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choices. I'd also like to see genkernel modified to handle other |
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architectures too -- this would give it a boost with other distros that |
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support multiple archs. |
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--Kumba |
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-- |
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"Such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: |
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small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are |
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elsewhere." --Elrond |
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-- |
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