Kernel package and modules

Graeme Gregory graeme at openmoko.org
Mon Aug 4 11:16:21 CEST 2008


On Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:10:51 +0100
Andy Green <andy at openmoko.com> wrote:

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> Somebody in the thread at some point said:
> | On Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:43:56 +0100
> | Andy Green <andy at openmoko.com> wrote:
> |
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> |> Somebody in the thread at some point said:
> |>
> |> | |> I would like to propose we radically simplify how we deal with
> |> | |> modules, simply by pushing all the ones we create into the
> main |> | |> kernel package. This has one disadvantage, size on
> storage, but |>
> |> | |> What do the folks who handle this packaging think about this
> |> proposal? | |>
> |> | | Or we could just RRECOMEND kernel-modules which will drag in
> all |> | | modules. See we are ahead.
> |> |
> |> | What is "kernel-modules" then, a metapackage for all modules?
> |> |
> |> | I can't "see we are ahead" if nobody tells me what is happening.
> |>
> |> Assuming this is so, why do we generate a bazillion pointless
> module |> packages still if having the kernel package brings 'em all
> in anyway, |> and they will ALL be regenerated at each kernel package
> uplevel? |>
> |> How is that "ahead" of just making a single kernel package that has
> |> the modules in too?
> |>
> | I guess the GTA01 is forgotten already.
> |
> | Ive already got people asking me if we have actually just forgotten
> the | device ever existed at all. That device doesn't have the ton of
> flash we | have now.
> |
> | So if we continue to keep insisting we have plenty of flash we will
> | have to announce to community that GTA01 support is ended.
> 
> Graeme, why does "RECOMMEND kernel-modules which will drag in all the
> modules" not have the same impact on storage for GTA01 as simply
> including all the modules in the one kernel package?
> 
> Did we only do this for GTA02 packages?  We moved Ethernet-over-USB
> to a module on GTA01 as well.  Why are we talking about GTA01 storage
> capacity as a reason to not move to a single kernel package with all
> modules in when you say what you have done will "drag in all the
> modules".
> 
> It seems either I am missing your point (quite possible, no idea why
> RECOMMEND and not REQUIRES) or we should drop the bazillion module
> packages and put them in the one kernel package.
> 
Because GTA01 machine can RRECOMEND the modules it actually wants

GTA02 can RRECOMEND all the modules.

RRECOMEND because you can then move modules back and forth between
packages and kernel without breaking the dependency chains.

I'm not even really sure of the use case for this change. To all
modules in kernel-image. All it seems to buy us is reflashing the
kernel everytime there is a change to the number of modules produced.
Instead of the current scheme where we can just install the new module
without changing the kernel.

Graeme




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