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Re: kernel-{image,headers} package bloat



On Sun, Apr 22, 2001 at 09:18:33AM -0500, Adam Heath wrote:
> 
> Now, it doesn't take a genius, to see how this will cascade.  For each
> optimization of a kernel, there will be a full kernel-image.deb.  Then, for
> the boot disks, there will be the individual kernel, and the modules to match
> it(this is a doubling of space).  So, for all the numbers given in this
> thread(whatever their value), you have to double them.

These kernel-image debs will NOT go onto the boot disks.  The boot disks
will support what is essentially the 386 flavour.

> Now, my gut instinct says that, as of this moment in time, no one has
> addressed the building of this initrd, to use at boot time, AFTER
> installation.  Yes, we may have an installation initrd, but, in almost all
> circles, that is going to be different that what is used after the system is
> installed.  Has this boot time initrd been constructed?  Do we know how we are
> going to do that?

If you're referring to the bits on the installation media, then it's a
question for the debian-installer folks to answer.  And IIRC they have
already done it.

> The best way to handle all this, is to train users how to compile a kernel,
> or, let them pick the optimization they want, and we compile the kernel for
> them.  We could even use a double boot technique, to make sure it works.  The
> new kernel is installed, added to lilo, but not made the default.  System
> reboots, and the user picks the new kernel.  IF the kernel works, we switch
> the default.

How are they going to compile a kernel if they haven't even installed Linux?
The most important function of initrd is to reduce the number of kernel
images needed on boot floppies to one.
-- 
Debian GNU/Linux 2.2 is out! ( http://www.debian.org/ )
Email:  Herbert Xu ~{PmV>HI~} <herbert@gondor.apana.org.au>
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