Re: status of 2.6.7 ? (Was Re: Bug#256763: kernel-image-2.6.6-i386: not ready for sarge just yet)

[Sven Luther <sven.luther@wanadoo.fr>]

On Sat, Jul 03, 2004 at 07:17:08PM +0200, Christoph Hellwig wrote:
> On Wed, Jun 30, 2004 at 08:19:07AM +0200, Sven Luther wrote:
> > For example, i know that the XF86Config-4 file needs to be changed when
> > using a ps2 mouse, since it was /dev/psaux previously, and is
> > /dev/input/mice now. Breaking X during the upgrade is hardly acceptable
> > if we are going to make 2.6 the default.
> 
> The /dev/psaux situation seems to be a big mess.  I added /dev/psaux
> upstream long ago so I wouldn't have to change my XF86Config for 2.4
> vs 2.6.  In the meantime X can have two different input devices
> specified and won't fail if one of them doesn't work but gives strange
> results when both work.  And Debian has both on the default XF86Config.

I don't think so, the current debian package 4.3.0 generated XF86Config
has psaux as corepointer, and input/mice sending coreevents. If the usb
mouse is missing, no big problem, but if the ps2 one is mising, X
refuses to start.

> Currently the Debian kernel has another config option to have /dev/psaux
> support in the kernel but disabled by default.  I really hate that hack
> and would just remove /dev/psaux from the Debian kernel as apparently
> our X packages don't need that transition-aid.

Yep, they need. I would suggest a solution as follows :

  1) the XF86Config file is debconf managed : We query the database, inform
  the user with a low priority debconf question if it is set to psaux,
  and change it for him. This means a priority normal install will
  automatically make the change, so no user intervention is needed.
  Problem 1 : if you want to run 2.4 in parallel you are screwed, a
  solution would be to have the input/mice being the core pointer
  always, and the psaux sending core events.
  Problem 2 : kernel-package's scripts need to be debconfified. They
  need to be that anyway though in order to break debian-installer less.

  2) The XF86Config file is not debconf managed : We parse the file in the
  post inst to check if psaux is the core pointer, and inform the user
  to fix it himself. After all, he is managing the file by hand and
  should know how to do this.

Friendly,

Sven Luther