kernel source/module directions and why windows users are happy

Farkas Levente lfarkas at bppiac.hu
Sun Aug 22 11:33:03 UTC 2004


hi,
it seems that fedora (redhat) can't make a final decision on kernel 
source proper position. Arjan do you know what you/redhat wanna do? let 
see what's happend:
- rename kernel-source to kernel-sourcecode. actualy it doesn't bother 
me too much, but i don't see any reason for this. this just confuse 
everyone.
- add the kernel headers to the kernel package. ok i understand your 
reason for kernel module building, but i still don't know if most people 
don't compile kernel module, than why you doule the kernel size for 
them. what's more kernel update happends twiece a month in fc and for 
those who have slower net access it just waste of time/size. why don't 
you create a kernel-headers noarch rpm? and those who compile kernel can 
use this.
- change the target to noarch. ok imho it's a reasonable anf good move 
(seems to the only one).
- now you simple do NOT ship/build any source code rpm! did you ever ask 
about it any REAL fc users? did you ever see/talk users who use fc or 
even linux? eg.: redhat/fedora do not ship ntfs driver even when the 
kernel contain it. suppose one need it. untill now:
   - install kernel and kernel-source[code]
   - update (yum, up2date...) update both when new version comes.
   - rebuild ntfs module
   or simple download the redhat/fedora ntfs driver rpm which has it own
   web page, since you don't ship it.
but for any module which is not in the precompiled kernel they have to 
now manualy download the kernel src.rpm (this can't be done trough the 
nightly yum or other update process!) and compile it.
actulay i've got my kernel-update script which recompile ntfs, madwifi, 
vmware driver etc.. even if i use the same madwifi driver for all 
kernels. not to meantion if i boot the new kernel and the old wifi 
driver is no longer working how can i download the kernel src.rpm from 
the net without net access? and i'm sure everyone forget at least once 
this. i still can compile my drivers, but everyone can do so? do you 
think it's the right solution.

let's see from the windows users point of view. they simple install the 
given driver and never ever has to "recompile". one can say, it's the 
problem of the kernel module version, but i still can't convince my 
friends about linux. he still would like to use there wifi driver, 
webcamera, irda port for gprs etc... which are simple working or has to 
work a lot to be able manualy start them. so it still seems to me that i 
can use fedora, but the user joe won't have use fedora as a desktop for 
a few years. it's not usable for any nonstandard endusers. and these 
problems are much more important (at least on the desktop part) than 
selinux, which mailer or broser to use, encrypted fs or other such 
problems if one of our goal is the desktop market. or we can declare 
that fedora/linux is still for servers and andvanced users' desktop.

-- 
   Levente                               "Si vis pacem para bellum!"





More information about the fedora-devel-list mailing list