>> I still don't entirely "get" why you would ever recompile the OS kernel.
>> I mean, all it does is memory allocation, interrupt scheduling, etc.
>> What's to change?
>
> When I initially compiled the kernel after installing Gentoo, I had no
> DVD drive, and was also short a lot of other hardware. So I turned those
> options off. Later on, when I got certain hardware, I needed to enable
> those options.
>
> Lately I've had to connect to work using a PPTP VPN (evil stuff). I
> hadn't compiled PPTP support in the kernel. So: Recompile. Another time
> I needed to use DAV. Not enabled in kernel - so I compiled.

In Windows you just install a driver, why do you need to recompile the 
kernel?

Post a reply to this message

Invisible wrote:
> 
> Please tell me that isn't 2.6 GB just for the source code...

No, I won't.

> Are you *kidding* me?? 300 MB just for the source code?!

No and yes.

> Does it also make you coffee in the morning? :-P

No, at least not yet. I drink my morning coffee at work, so I have
coffee maker drivers disabled.

> In other words, the Linux "kernel" isn't just the kernel, it's also all
> the device drivers. No wonder it's so big.

Yep.

And for someone else who wondered if no kernel modules are known, yes
they are, but before explaining that it's easier to explain the whole
thing in general.

> Erm, no... I think you'll find that the reason why gaming computers use
> Windows is that almost all games are written to run under Windows. :-P

Yes. And one reason *for that* is that porting games to Linux has been
freaking difficult, eg. since past years ATI and nVidia both on theier
turns have been missing GFX-drivers for Linux. They both have raised
theier heads recently, so there is a chance to see that scene raising
also. It'll still take at least a while, so don't hold your breath while
waiting.

> I would suggest that DirectX is a way bigger reason than kernel support
> for particular bits of hardware.

There can't be anything like DirectX, if there's no support (drivers)
for the hardware.

-Aero

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Mueen Nawaz wrote:
> 
> 	I have full merge history in /var/log/emerge.log
> 
> 	To parse it, emerge genlop. I use genlop all the time for estimating
> build times, etc.
> 

Nice, thanks for the tip.

-Aero

Post a reply to this message

>> Please tell me that isn't 2.6 GB just for the source code...
> 
> No, I won't.
> 
>> Are you *kidding* me?? 300 MB just for the source code?!
> 
> No and yes.

My God... it burns!! >_<

>> Erm, no... I think you'll find that the reason why gaming computers use
>> Windows is that almost all games are written to run under Windows. :-P
> 
> Yes. And one reason *for that* is that porting games to Linux has been
> freaking difficult, eg. since past years ATI and nVidia both on theier
> turns have been missing GFX-drivers for Linux. They both have raised
> theier heads recently, so there is a chance to see that scene raising
> also. It'll still take at least a while, so don't hold your breath while
> waiting.

Yeah, well... why bother supporting a platform that hardly anybody uses? 
*Clearly* it's more profitable to support only the most popular 
platforms. ;-)

That's why no Linux drivers, no Linux games, no Linux apps...

(Yes, I realise there are a few of these now, but still not that many. Yet.)

>> I would suggest that DirectX is a way bigger reason than kernel support
>> for particular bits of hardware.
> 
> There can't be anything like DirectX, if there's no support (drivers)
> for the hardware.

Well, true, but I'm just saying most games target DirectX rather than 
OpenGL.

Post a reply to this message

Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:18:25 -0500, Tom Austin wrote:
> 
>>> Try LFS, that'll really teach you a lot about linux, even if you don't
>>> get a bootable system.
>>>
>>> Jim
>> It's not too hard to get a bootable LFS system - and if it is hard and
>> you get it to boot, then you've learned a lot!
> 
> Maybe now it is, I remember it used to be an incredible way to install 
> because you had to do *everything*.  I've seen some newer releases that 
> script some things, though.
> 
> Jim


Even with the scripting/automation it takes a bit of work to get it to 
boot - you still have to get GRUB on the HD and the like.

I usually run jhalfs to do all the legwork on the base system - up to, 
but not including, compiling the kernel.  Up to that point it's mostly 
following what the book tells you to do.  From the kernel on you have to 
make some decisions and customize the steps for your particular setup.

Just about any Linux stuff I do now is via LFS - I like knowing what I 
am working with.

Post a reply to this message

Invisible wrote:
> 
> My God... it burns!! >_<
> 

Only if you enable the burning support.

> 
> Yeah, well... why bother supporting a platform that hardly anybody uses?
> *Clearly* it's more profitable to support only the most popular
> platforms. ;-)

Yep, that's kind of circle.

> That's why no Linux drivers, no Linux games, no Linux apps...

Hence no Linux gamers.

> (Yes, I realise there are a few of these now, but still not that many.
> Yet.)

Yep. Growing userbase on normal desktop applications have opened a
reason for eg. ATI and nVidia to start making Linux-drivers. So there'll
be more support, so there will be better chances to see games.

> 
> Well, true, but I'm just saying most games target DirectX rather than
> OpenGL.

True, but even targetting OpelGL wouldn't be a saviour as long as
there's no supported hardware fast enough to shine in games.

-Aero

Post a reply to this message

scott wrote:
>> Lately I've had to connect to work using a PPTP VPN (evil stuff). I
>> hadn't compiled PPTP support in the kernel. So: Recompile. Another time
>> I needed to use DAV. Not enabled in kernel - so I compiled.
> 
> In Windows you just install a driver, why do you need to recompile the
> kernel?

	Because it's Linux...?

-- 
Why a man would want a wife is a big mystery to some people.  Why a man
would want *two* wives is a bigamystery.


                    /\  /\               /\  /
                   /  \/  \ u e e n     /  \/  a w a z
                       >>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
                                   anl

Post a reply to this message

nemesis wrote:
> Seriously, have you guys ever heard of loadable kernel modules?

	There are quite a few options in the kernel that you can either compile
in, or not - you can't make modules out of them.

> I've never had the need to recompile any kernel, despite hardware upgrades.

	I can tell ;-)

-- 
Why a man would want a wife is a big mystery to some people.  Why a man
would want *two* wives is a bigamystery.


                    /\  /\               /\  /
                   /  \/  \ u e e n     /  \/  a w a z
                       >>>>>>mue### [at] nawazorg<<<<<<
                                   anl

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Jim Holsenback wrote:
> So I'd add that it's fairly common in Unix world, and from reading 
> this thread it would seem less common on Linux.

I think it's more like it's fairly common in the UNIX world on systems 
designed when wasting 100K of kernel memory was an unforgivable sin. :-) 
When just setting nfiles to some sufficiently large number whether you need 
it or not works fine, you wind up recompiling for those kinds of tuning 
parameters less often.  (Or, of course, you could configure the kernel at 
boot time, but that's no fun.)

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   The NFL should go international. I'd pay to
   see the Detroit Lions vs the Roman Catholics.

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Mueen Nawaz wrote:
 > Why a man would want a wife is a big mystery to some people.  Why a man
 > would want *two* wives is a bigamystery.

I just want to say, that is excellent. :-)

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   The NFL should go international. I'd pay to
   see the Detroit Lions vs the Roman Catholics.

Post a reply to this message