Re: changing default ping

[Thomas Bushnell BSG <tb@becket.net>]

Anthony Towns <aj@azure.humbug.org.au> writes:

>> No, the point is that the Hurd developers should write that feature in
>> the standard tar so that it can be turned on and off with a normal
>> configure test, 
>
> Well, why not say "the Hurd developers should write that feature in the
> standard Linux kernel so that it can be turned on and off by loading or
> removing a module" ?

No, because it isn't the Hurd developers' job to write Linux kernel
code.

But I don't see how this is relevant.  

>> Of course.  So let's have one ping package that provides the feature
>> on systems where the headers say "yes, we have this feature."
>
> Sure. If you're willing to write and maintain such a package, that's
> great, and I'm all for it being the default. Of course, such a package
> doesn't actually exist, and you presumably not going to actually write
> one, and Noah seems to offering a version that, while portable, doesn't
> "always work with the latest and greatest kernel functionality", via a
> configure test or not.

I still can't understand how a feature can be Absolutely Essential, So
Very Essential That It Must Be In The Default Ping, and at the same
time be a brand-new kernel feature.  Enlighten me...