Re: kernel headers
Hi,
>>"Scott" == Scott Barker <scott@galileo.cuug.ab.ca> writes:
Scott> I guess I wasn't clear enough -- I was actually wondering why
Scott> kernel headers were included anywhere *except* with the kernel
Scott> source. I can see some logic in having a kernel-headers package
Scott> for those who don't want all the kernel source, but I totally
Scott> fail to see why any kernel headers are included in the libc
Scott> packages. Kernel headers are dependant upon the kernel source,
Scott> not on the C libraries. It just doesn't make sense to me.
The headers were included in libc5-dev after a rash of very
buggy alpha kernel releases (1.3.7* or something like that) that
proceeded to break compilations, etc. Kernel versions are changed
far more rapidly than libc is, and there are higer chances that
people install a custom kernel than they install custom libc.
Add to that the fact that few programs really need the more
volatile elements of the header files (that is, things that really
change from kernel version to kernel version), [before you reject
this, consider: programs compiled on one kernel version usually work
on other kernels].
So, it makes sense that a set of headers be provided from a
known good kernel version, and that is sufficient for compiling most
programs, (it also makes the compile time environments for programs
on debian machines a well known one, easing the process of dealing
with problem reports), the few programs that really depend on cutting
edge kernel data structures may just use -I/usr/src/linux/include
(provided that kernel-headers or kernel-source exists on the system).
libc5-deb is uploaded frequently enough that it never lags too
far behind the latest released kernel.
I hope I was clear enough to answer your question.
manoj
-- "I take Him shopping with me. I say, 'OK, Jesus, help me find a
bargain'" --Tammy Faye Bakker
Manoj Srivastava Systems Research Programmer, Project Pilgrim,
Phone: (413) 545-3918 A143B Lederle Graduate Research Center,
Fax: (413) 545-1249 University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
<srivasta@pilgrim.umass.edu> <URL:http://www.pilgrim.umass.edu/%7Esrivasta/>
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