Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 20:53:41 -0500 (CDT) From: "Conrad J. Sabatier" <conrads@cox.net> To: Max Laier <max@love2party.net> Cc: freebsd-config@freebsd.org Subject: Re: "Next Generation" kernel configuration? Message-ID: <XFMail.20040720205341.conrads@cox.net> In-Reply-To: <200407210327.29307.max@love2party.net>
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On 21-Jul-2004 Max Laier wrote: > On Wednesday 21 July 2004 03:03, Brooks Davis wrote: >> On Tue, Jul 20, 2004 at 07:39:31PM -0500, Conrad J. Sabatier wrote: [snip] >> > A dependable tool offering a menu-driven means of configuring the >> > kernel, ensuring proper config file syntax, dependency handling, >> > prevention of incompatible options, etc. -- as well as online >> > documentation, advice, suggestions and warnings, plus perhaps a >> > nice set of default selections -- would be a very nice addition to >> > the system. But to bring it about, obviously a major reworking of >> > the current system of kernel configuration files would be required. >> >> You can have my simple flat file kernel config when you pry it from >> my cold, dead hands and I know a number of other develoeprs share >> this viewpoint. All my experiences with the linux visual kernel >> config tool have been annoying and I've got friends with more >> expierence with it that have much less kind things to say. > > Add me to the list. And this realates to sys/conf/* as well > (respondig to the re-reply). Especially developers prefer *clean*, > *simple* config files and I (personally) would really really hate to > twiddle with some insane XML just to add something to the build! Oh, agreed, definitely. Wasn't even thinking XML (yuck!). :-) Basically, I'm just thinking of a layout which, in the simplest, cleanest manner possible, would allow a "make config"-like tool to extract the information it needed, so options could be presented to the user along with their descriptions, if so desired. I don't have a clear-cut idea just yet of how this might be done, to be honest. :-) >> That said, so long as it doesn't impose too much developer burden, >> an improved set of backend files that did a better job of handling >> dependencies and knew which options where relevent given the >> configured set of devices could be useful. > > http://www.freebsd.org/releases/5.3R/todo.html has a "Desired > features"-item saying: "Revised kld build infrastructure", which > will pretty much interfere with this. You might want to contact with > the current owner (peter@) and hear what he has to say. Thanks for the pointer. I'll check into that. > Other than that, I'd welcome a somewhat enriched config > environment as long as it is done reasonable and makes the job > easier! And please: NO XML! Cool. And not to worry. No XML. :-) >> There is a valid question of what a depenency means. For instance, >> you can't really have IP networking without lo(4) (there's a null >> pointer derefrence if you try), but since you can load it as a >> module, should you have to compile it in? > > There should be levels of dependencies ... i.e. the TBD config-tool > would (strongly) suggest that you build-in lo(4) into an "options > INET" kernel, but should not stop you to do else. Exactly. That's the sort of thing I had in mind. I realize this is a fairly large undertaking, and hearing that others have already made attempts but have yet to produce anything makes me a little uncertain about it all, but I do think it's something worth exploring. And it'll keep me off the streets and out of trouble for a good while, too. :-) If I manage to come up with anything reasonable, you'll hear about it here. Incidentally, is anyone else's mail to freebsd-config bouncing? =======BOUNCE MESSAGE====== This is the Postfix program at host hub.freebsd.org. I'm sorry to have to inform you that the message returned below could not be delivered to one or more destinations. For further assistance, please send mail to <postmaster> If you do so, please include this problem report. You can delete your own text from the message returned below. The Postfix program <freebsd-config@freebsd.org>: Command died with status 1: "/usr/local/mailman/mail/mailman post freebsd-config". Command output: post script, list not found: freebsd-config -- Conrad J. Sabatier <conrads@cox.net> -- "In Unix veritas"
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