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Re: [Debian] iso9660 in 2.0.34 ?



Hi,
>>"Jay" == Jay Barbee <sysjyb@adm105.adm.louisville.edu> writes:

 Jay> ...I believe I am confused...  I do not mind a little
 Jay> automation, but currently in my lilo.conf I have 3 linux kernels
 Jay> that I use.

 Jay> This kernel-package util seems as if it takes this functionality
 Jay> away from you and simply uses default (/vmlinuz) and that is it.

	Rubbish. Please do not spread FUD. I have, at times, a round
 dozen kernel images on my machine, all compiled with
 kernel-package. I even have 2-3 2.0.34 images *ON AT THE SAME TIME*.
 Look at my lilo.conf, 5 (count it, five) different options. 

	kernel-package is about flexibility and ease of use, not for
 putting peole in a straight jacket.

	Please investigate before making assumptions about things.

______________________________________________________________________
boot = /dev/hda
delay = 50                    # optional, for systems that boot very quickly
compact   
vga=normal                    # force sane state
root = current                # use "current" setting
message = /etc/lilo.message
verbose = 3
prompt
timeout = 300
image = /vmlinuz
	label = 2
	root = /dev/hda2
        append = "mem=95M"
        read-only
image = /vmlinuz.old
	label = 3
	root = /dev/hda2
        append = "mem=95M"
        read-only
image = /vmlinuz.stable
	label = 4
	root = /dev/hda2
        append = "mem=95M"
        read-only
image = /vmlinuz.reallystable
	label = 5
	root = /dev/hda2
        append = "mem=95M"
        read-only

other = /dev/hda1
   table = /dev/hda
   label = 1
______________________________________________________________________

 Jay> Perhaps I simply don't understand what you are telling me to do
 Jay> with this "kernel-package" when I go to install or test a new
 Jay> kernel.

	Yup.

	manoj

======================================================================

		    Advantages of using make-kpkg
	            ---------- -- ----- ---------

	I have been asked several times about the advantages of using
 the kernel-package package over the traditional Linux way of hand
 compiling kernels, and I have come up with this list. This is off the
 top of my head, I'm sure to have missed points yet. Any additions
 welcomed.

     i) Convenience. I used to compile kernels manually, and it
        involved a series of steps to be taken in order;
        kernel-package was written to take all the required steps (it
        has grown beyond that now, but essentially, that is what it
        does). This is especially important to novices: make-kpkg
        takes all the steps required to compile a kernel, and
        installation of kernels is a snap.
    ii) It allows you to keep multiple version of kernel images on
        your machine with no fuss.
   iii) It has a facility for you to keep multiple flavours of the
        same kernel version on your machine (you could have a stable
        2.0.33 version, and a 2.0.33 version patched with the latest
        drivers, and not worry about contaminating the modules in
        /lib/modules)
    iv) It knows that some architectures do not have vmlinuz (using
        vmlinux instead), and other use zImage rather than bzImage,
        and calls the appropriate target, and takes care of moving the
        correct file into place.
     v) Several other kernel module packages are hooked into
        kernel-package, so one can seamlessly compile, say, pcmcia
        modules at the same time as one compiles a kernel, and be
        assured that the modules so compiled are compatible.
    vi) It enables you to use the package management system to keep
        track of the kernels created. Using make-kpkg creates a .deb
        file, and dpkg can track it for you. This facilitates the task
        of other packages that depend on the kernel packages.
   vii) It keeps track of the configuration file for each kernel image
        in /boot, which is part of the image package, and hence is
        the kernel image and the configuration file are always
        together.
  viii) It allows to create a package with the headers, or the
        sources, also as a deb file, and enables the package
        management system to keep track of those (and there are
        packages that depend on the package management system being
        aware of these packages)
    ix) Since the kernel image package is a full fledged Debian
        package, it comes with maintainer scripts, which take care of
        details like offering to make a boot disk, manipulating
        symbolic links in / so that you can make boot loader scripts
        static (just refer to the symbolic links, rather than the real
        image files; the names of the symbolic links do not change,
        but the kernel image file names change with the version)
     x) There is support for the multitudinous sub architectures that
        have blossomed under the umbrella of the m68k architecture.
    xi) There is support there for optionally applying patches to the
        kernel provided as a kernel-patch .deb file, and building a
        patched kernel auto-magically, and still retain an UN-patched
        kernel source tree


		   Disadvantages of using make-kpkg
		   ------------- -- ----- ---------

      i) This is a cookie cutter approach to compiling kernels, and
         there are people who like being close to the bare metal.
     ii) This is not how it is done in the non-Debian world. This
         flouts tradition. (It has been pointed out, though, that this
         is fast becoming Debian tradition)
    iii) It forces you to use fakeroot or sudo or super or be root to
         create a kernel image .deb file (this is not as bad as it
         used to be before fakeroot)

-- 
 "My father?  My father left when I was quite young.  Well actually,
 he was asked to leave.  He had trouble metabolizing alcohol." George
 Carlin
Manoj Srivastava  <srivasta@acm.org> <http://www.datasync.com/%7Esrivasta/>
Key C7261095 fingerprint = CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05  CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E


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