Gentoo Archives: gentoo-user

From: "Stefan G. Weichinger" <lists@×××××.at>
To: gentoo-user@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] Re: decrapify your kernel config
Date: Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:46:34
Message-Id: 4B16B5FB.40202@xunil.at
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-user] Re: decrapify your kernel config by Volker Armin Hemmann
1 Volker Armin Hemmann schrieb:
2 > On Mittwoch 18 November 2009, Alan McKinnon wrote:
3 >> On Wednesday 18 November 2009 01:16:04 Stefan G. Weichinger wrote:
4 >>> Volker Armin Hemmann schrieb:
5 >>>> Namespaces - you don't need it? Kick 'em out.
6 >>> hmm, interesting ... ;-)
7 >>>
8 >>> for sure I also want to decrapify my kernel-config ...
9 >>>
10 >>> To disable namespaces I would have to set CONFIG_EMBEDDED=y ... correct?
11 >>>
12 >>> This is rather counterintuitive to me, as my main workstation is far
13 >>> from an embedded or small system (ok, not compared to the
14 >>> 4096-cpu-clusters in http://xkcd.com/619/ , but compared to, for
15 >>> example, my embedded ALIX-PC I use as fw/router/something ...).
16 >>>
17 >>> So you suggest I set CONFIG_EMBEDDED=y and in turn get several new
18 >>> options/defaults to choose and get right or wrong ... ?
19 >>>
20 >>> ;-)
21 >>>
22 >>> I am quite sure to have at least *some* crap in my config as I tend to
23 >>> always do something like
24 >>>
25 >>> zcat /proc/config.gz >> /usr/src/linux-new-shiny-version/.config
26 >>> make oldconfig
27 >>>
28 >>> ....
29 >>>
30 >>> This gives me expected results and a "it boots OK" experience, getting
31 >>> rid of unused crap is another issue, yes.
32 >>>
33 >>> I wonder which EMBEDDED options would help me ...
34 >> Likely none of them.
35 >>
36 >> The embedded menu is the most counter-intuitive thing in the whole kernel
37 >> config. It does not supply a list of things you may enable, instead it
38 >> activates a menu that allows you to switch stuff OFF that is normally ON.
39 >>
40 >> The rationale is that embedded devices need to get by on a very slim kernel
41 >> and with some magic trickery they can successfully disable some features
42 >> that are usually considered perfectly normal for regular desktop use.
43 >>
44 >> For example: CONFIG_HOTPLUG. It's unthinkable to remove this for a desktop,
45 >> but does your TomTom need it? Does a GPS even have hotplug facilities? How
46 >> about ADSL router/modems?
47 >>
48 >> To disable namespace, enable embedded, leave everything on, and you will
49 >> find you can now disable namespaces.
50 >>
51 >
52 > you can disable:
53 > - Enable 16-bit UID system calls
54 >
55 > - Sysctl syscall support
56 > without negative impact on a desktop. Most of it is broken for years anyway.
57 >
58 > - Core dumps
59 > are another feature that most people never use
60 >
61 > - Load all symbols for debugging/ksymoops
62 > and
63 > - Do an extra kallsyms pass
64 > stuff you can deactivate if you don't plan to send crash reports.
65 >
66 > - Enable PC-Speaker support
67 > oh hell - away with that one! Who needs beeps anyway?
68
69 whoops. I hadn't looked back at that thread for weeks, only found it now.
70
71 Thanks for your replies ....

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[gentoo-user] Re: OT: threads in thunderbird (WAS:decrapify your kernel config) "Stefan G. Weichinger" <lists@×××××.at>