kernel-devel dependency

[Tyler Larson]

Michel Alexandre Salim wrote:
> 
> Yes, the question is whether it ever makes sense to have kernel-devel-X
> installed when the kernel package itself is of version Y.
> 
> Once I'm sure a new kernel is working, I like just to be able to call
> 'yum remove kernel-oldversion' and have kernel-module-*-oldversion and
> kernel-devel-oldversion removed through dependencies.
> 
> - Michel
> 
> 

No. Not a good idea. As a general rule, you should limit your dependency list
to the software that the package actually depends on. Violating this rule
creates far more problems than it solves.

A user wishing to install a kernel-devel package shouldn't be forced to also
install the corresponding kernel package--especially since there is no actual
dependency there. The question isn't, "would someone want to install the
-devel without the kernel," the proper question is, "should someone have to
install the kernel in order to install the -devel."


If typing two commands instead of just one is really getting to you, put the
following in your bashrc:

function remove_kernel() { rpm -e kernel-$1 kernel-devel-$1 ; }

Then you can just type "remove_kernel <version>" and it will remove both at
the same time!