Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 11:24:59 -0400 From: John Baldwin <jhb@freebsd.org> To: Ceri Davies <ceri@submonkey.net> Cc: Tom Rhodes <trhodes@freebsd.org>, src-committers@freebsd.org, cvs-src@freebsd.org, cvs-all@freebsd.org, danger@freebsd.org, brueffer@freebsd.org Subject: Re: cvs commit: src/share/examples/mdoc example.4 Message-ID: <200609271125.00138.jhb@freebsd.org> In-Reply-To: <20060927084514.GR54669@submonkey.net> References: <200609261959.k8QJxqkh068350@repoman.freebsd.org> <20060927041526.6b33a348.trhodes@FreeBSD.org> <20060927084514.GR54669@submonkey.net>
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On Wednesday 27 September 2006 04:45, Ceri Davies wrote: > On Wed, Sep 27, 2006 at 04:15:26AM -0400, Tom Rhodes wrote: > > On Wed, 27 Sep 2006 08:53:14 +0100 > > Ceri Davies <ceri@submonkey.net> wrote: > > > > > On Wed, Sep 27, 2006 at 03:41:24AM -0400, Tom Rhodes wrote: > > > > On Tue, 26 Sep 2006 22:23:39 +0200 > > > > Christian Brueffer <brueffer@FreeBSD.org> wrote: > > > > > > > > > | @@ -33,11 +33,9 @@ > > > > > > | .Nm example > > > > > > | .Nd "example device driver manual page" > > > > > > | .Sh SYNOPSIS > > > > > > | -To compile the > > > > > > | -.Ns Nm > > > > > > | -driver into the kernel, > > > > > > | -place the following lines in the > > > > > > | -kernel configuration file: > > > > > > | +To enable support for > > > > > > | +.Ns Nm , > > > > > > | +place the following lines in the kernel configuration file: > > > > > > > > > > The formulation used before was much more accurate WRT the distinction > > > > > we make between compiling something into the kernel and loading it as a > > > > > module. If we load something as a module we also "enable support for > > > > > it". > > > > > > > > What about in cases where other hoops must be jumped before the > > > > driver/feature/whatever is really supported? > > > > > > They can be special cased in the real manual. In the wider sense, > > > kldload is the easiest way to enable support for something, and I know > > > that I'm personally well past encouraging users to recompile the kernel > > > just to get, for example, sound working when a simple kldload does the > > > job just as well in most cases. > > > > That is of course that "something" has a module. ;) > > Well yes, which is why the previous text explicitly said "to compile .Nm > into the kernel", because that's what the example does. > > > Seriously though, why handle one case any differently than > > another? > > Compiling something into the kernel and loading a module are different, > that's why, and we should be clear about the distinction (because, as > you state, some modules don't exist). And it's not the same as enabling the driver. You can kldload ipmi but still disable it via a hw.ipmi.on sysctl and then re-enable it later w/o unloading it by toggling the sysctl back on. Enable is a poor word choice and very vague. Since you are mentioning the specific details of adding lines to a kernel config file, you should be as specific in stating what that does (adds driver to kernel). -- John Baldwin
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