On Tue, May 20, 2008 at 07:39:24PM -0700, Ken Teague wrote: > > For example, lets > say I have a new motherboard with a chipset that isn't supported by the > current Linux kernel on the Debian installation media. I go to said > manufacturers web site and they have downloads for Red Hat and SuSE. I > download either of the two, pop in the <cough>floppy disk</cough>, and > Debian is able to determine whether it's designed for distribution X and > loads the module. That, in itself, would be the next best thing since > the "alien" package. :-) > The main problem with that is that it would require one of the following: 1. the module be compiled against an ABI-compatible kernel OR 2. the source be included on the disk, the headers to the kernel be available on the install medium, along with a compiler, and then compile the module right there on the spot The first one is highly unlikely to happen. The second would be a pain to implement and would probably require an extra CD and possible redistributing how packages are distributed on the CDs. To say nothing of the massive memory requirement (in comparison with the paltry 16 MB or 24 MB requirement of the regular installer) that would be imposed to be able to do that. Regards, -Roberto -- Roberto C. Sánchez http://people.connexer.com/~roberto http://www.connexer.com
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