Gentoo Archives: gentoo-user

From: Rich Freeman <rich0@g.o>
To: gentoo-user@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] New network cards default to "Y" with "make oldconfig"
Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2019 19:07:56
Message-Id: CAGfcS_mDsJW5_Zu1CF=84TC2VL3h+ZOoJ0cuhu_qUWFcc5icjA@mail.gmail.com
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-user] New network cards default to "Y" with "make oldconfig" by Dale
1 On Sun, Mar 24, 2019 at 1:02 PM Dale <rdalek1967@×××××.com> wrote:
2 >
3 > Rich Freeman wrote:
4 > >
5 > > Suppose you have an Acme model 1234 network card. You've previously
6 > > answered Yes to enabling its driver, and No to enabling the Acme model
7 > > 2345 card.
8 > >
9 > > Now a new option comes along to show/hide all the Acme cards. That is
10 > > a new option, so it has no existing value as far as the config
11 > > database design goes. If you answer No, then you disable your model
12 > > 1234 card (without even being asked, because that isn't a new option).
13 > > If you answer yes then effectively your previous choices remain in
14 > > effect (model 1234 remains enabled, and model 2345 remains disabled).
15 > >
16 >
17 > One would think it should ask if you want any ACME drivers first. If
18 > you say yes then ask which ones you want. If you answer no then disable
19 > them all and move to the Better-than-nothing drivers next in the list,
20 > assuming the are alphabetical.
21
22 This is exactly what it is doing. There is a new question about
23 whether you want any ACME drivers. It defaults to Yes. If you answer
24 Yes then it prompts you for each individual driver, though it will
25 skip those prompts since you've already answered them.
26
27 If you answer No then it will set all the individual drivers to No
28 (including the ones you previously set to Yes), and not prompt you
29 further.
30
31 > Once you get past that driver, nothing
32 > else should disable the drivers you wanted.
33
34 But the drivers you wanted WERE Acme drivers, so if you answered No to
35 that question why would it prompt for those?
36
37 You can see how defaulting to No on these sorts of questions can be
38 more dangerous, because it can cause you to reverse decisions you
39 previously made, while defaulting to Yes on the big questions (that
40 don't actually build anything), and defaulting to No on the little
41 questions (which do build things) has the result that if you accept
42 all the defaults you keep the same kernel build you had before.
43
44 If you answer Yes to whether you want ACME drivers it won't actually
45 build any drivers - you have to enable those individually, and those
46 questions presumably still default to No.
47
48 --
49 Rich

Replies

Subject Author
Re: [gentoo-user] New network cards default to "Y" with "make oldconfig" Dale <rdalek1967@×××××.com>