Re: Comment regarding kernel version

[Laurent de Segur <ldesegur@mac.com>]

Josh,

I still don't understand why the kernel package installed from a pre-built
image package returns either a -ppc on 2.2 either a -powerpc on 2.4 added to
the OS version since the platform is already returned using the uname -m
command.

Laurent

> Laurent de Segur <ldesegur@mac.com> writes:
> 
>> I noticed that after installing either 2.2, either 2.4 pre-built
>> kernel binary package, I end up getting a kernel version with an
>> appended string (either -pmac, either -powerpc.) If I write a driver
>> for this installed kernel, should I change the version in the header
>> version.h by appending the string manually? If I don't and version
>> dependency is use (automatically), the module won't load on kernels
>> that folks build themselves (I know, I tried.)
> 
> No you shouldn't change the version string.  Build the module against
> the kernel source that you intend to use it with.
> -I/usr/src/linuxppc_2_4 (or whatever) when you're building should do
> the trick.
> 
>> What should I do if I still want to have version dependency turned
>> on?  Any reason why this string is present in the version string (it
>> can't be even guaranteed that it will be the same in future
>> versions.) Having the cpu inside the version looks redundant to me
>> since I get the package from the platform directory already.
> 
> Well, to put it simply, kernel modules are dependant on the kernel
> version that they were built for.  So, you need to distribute source
> to your module if you want other people to use it.  (or, distribute
> modules with a kernel to go along with them...)
> 
> ttyl,
> 
> -- 
> Josh Huber                                   | huber@debian.org |