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Re: Bug#469256: kexec-tools: Please use a boolean question with debconf



Christian Perrier wrote:
> But let's see what others on debian-l10n-english have to say.
> 
> You might need to explain us in more details what is a "kexec'able" kernel.

> Template: kexec-tools/load_kexec
> Type: boolean
> Default: true
> _Description: Enable automatic kexec reboots?
>  Please choose whether you want kexec-tools to load a new "kexec'able" kernel 
>  automatically on reboots and "kexec" into the new kernel instead 
>  rather than rebooting normally.

I don't like <"kexec'able">, partly just for the apostrophe; you
don't <kexec' a kernel>.  In fact the normal usage at present (with
an example in the next line) is that you <kexec into a kernel>.  If
it isn't used as a transitive verb, it's a bit premature to coin a
"fooable" adjective.  The closest I would risk is "kexec-capable".

But this phrasing also has an ambiguity: if I have two kernels
currently installed, 

 /vmlinuz	= linux-image-2.6.25-sanskexec
 /vmlinuz.old	= linux-image-2.6.24-withkexec

and I activate automatic kexec reboots, it _won't_ automatically
pick the kexec-capable kernel when I reboot, will it?  Indeed, if
I've also got a freshly-installed

 /vmlinuz.new	= linux-image-2.6.25-alpha

then it will specifically try to kexec into an "old kernel" rather
than the "new kernel".  So I'd suggest something more like:

   Please choose whether you want reboots to be handled by kexec-tools.
   If you accept this option, instead of performing normal reboots the
   system will attempt to use kexec to load /vmlinuz (if that kernel
   supports this).

Is this correct?
-- 
JBR	with qualifications in linguistics, experience as a Debian
	sysadmin, and probably no clue about this particular package


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