Re: How many kernels to assume
On Wed, Mar 21, 2001 at 05:34:26PM +0100, Martin Albert wrote:
> Hello, dear developers!
>
> libggi-target-fbdev.postinst checks /dev for framebuffer entries. If
> none are found, it offers to create them. Now i've received the
> following:
>
> [...]
> I was already wondering about a recent discussion, where the _running_
> kernel at the time of installation were to be checked to determine
> anything. On my systems, various kernels are installed and personally i
> wouldn't want a half smart package to add or leave sth. because of the
> version of the kernel that appens to be running at install time.
>
> I wouldn't want libggi-target-fbdev to skip the correct installation of
> appropriate devices for use eg. by older, non-devfs kernels.
It is impossible (or at least very impractical) to do the right thing for any
number of installed kernels (especially since these kernels do not have to be
under the control of the packaging system, nor have their .config files
available, nor even be located in any specific directory or be otherwise
enumerable, etc.). I think the most that can be expected is for the package to
do the right thing for the installed system.
Apart from that general problem, as far as devfs is concerned, there is no
reliable way to create devices on the "real" (disk-based) /dev while devfs is
active, because the "real" /dev is masked by the devfs mount. If the user is
messing about with experimental kernel features and swapping kernels all the
time, they should be savvy enough to dpkg-reconfigure or reinstall the affected
packages when they switch from devfs to non-devfs operation.
--
- mdz
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