linux-headers no more needed ?

["Hans-J. Ullrich" <hans.ullrich@loop.de>]

Hello all,

maybe I have an understanding problem. It would be nice, if someone could give 
me some background knowledge.

IMO the linux-header-files are always needed, whenever I want to build modules 
for the kernel, i.e. the Nvidia-kernel-module. However, as I have not 
installed them, the building of my needed module (in my case it was the 
fglrx-kernel-module) succeeded. So, what is the reason, that the 
linux-header-files are for ? I do not understand. 

(Background is, that the package "linux-headers-2.6.17-1-amd64-k8" cannot be 
installed, due to the missing "linux-kbuild-2.6.17")

So, in what cases are the header files needed ?

Thank you very much for your help !!!

Best regards

Hans