Re: Debian conflicts with FHS on /usr/include/{linux,asm}

[Marcus Brinkmann <Marcus.Brinkmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de>]

On Wed, Jul 14, 1999 at 07:35:31AM -0400, tytso@mit.edu wrote:
> 
> 	So for kernel modules, which is what I was specifically talking
> about, we absolutely **must** have access to /usr/include/linux and
> /usr/include/asm.

Mmmh. Seems to me that you don't need access to /usr/include/{asm,linux}, as
those are reserved for usert space programs, but
/path/to/current/kernel/source/tree/include/{asm,linux} really.

> Linus has said that he doesn't like user-space
> programs referring to /usr/include/linux, but he also said that he
> wasn't speaking "ex-cathedra" manner on this issue.  But his reasoning
> absolutely doesn't apply to stand-alone kernel space modules.

/usr/include/* is the user development area, and is controlled by glibc and
other user interfaces to the system. I think your assumption that
/usr/include/{asm,linux} should be the current kernels header file is the
wrong one.

[...]

> 	Now, if Debian is willing to say that they don't support naive
> users, then this might be a rational decision.  But if you want it to
> support naive users, then, like your (IMHO) naive-user-hostile
> installation process, I encourage you to rethink your position.

Can't see what this has to do with this discussion. If you mean with "rethink
your position" to change to the historical convention of the symlinks, we
can't do this because it is broken.

IMHO, any kernel module should be able to accept the path to the version of
the kernel tree that it shall be compiled for. This is also important if I
have several versions of the kernel, or if I want to compile for a kernel
version that I don't have installed (in binary) on this system.

This path can be /usr/src/linux by default. Kernel modules should probably
not include /usr/include/{asm,linux} at all.

Thanks,
Marcus

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