[nylug-talk] Benefits/drawbacks of building Linux as a package [was: Looking for recommendations on Linux Distro]

[Ruben Safir]

On Sat, Mar 15, 2008 at 05:54:10PM -0400, Chris Knadle wrote:
> On Saturday 15 March 2008, Ruben Safir wrote:
> > Installing a kernel with a package manager is suicidal anyway.
> >
> > Ruben
> 
>    Hmm...  Well if that's so I'd appreciate knowing why you feel that way.  
> [I'm not being sarcastic, I'm seriously asking.]
> 
>    The main things I personally like about installing the kernel as a package:
>      1.  Ability to compile on one system + install on another
>          [Doesn't require installing dev stuff on a server, for instance]
>      2.  Package manager warns if library versions don't match, like
>          module-init-tools
>      3.  The pacakage install script adds or removes the kernel to the boot
>          menu automatically
>      4.  The package contains md5sums for the files, so if one of the files
>          has been changed there's a chance of finding out
>      5.  It saves me work
> 
>    Matching arguments against bothering to make a package:
>      1.  You could probably copy over a .tar to do the same thing
>      2.  If you know what you're doing this shouldn't matter
>      3.  Run 'update-grub' to do the same thing
>      4.  You can't rely on md5sums if they're local anyway
>      5.  Don't be lazy
> 
>    Thoughts?
> 
>    -- Chris


Reinstalling the kernal from a packagemanager doesn't allow for both kernels to be
exected through grub incase something goes wrong.  In addition, the boot image 
is likely different in different distros and RPM's et al are frankly very bad at
setting that up, not to mention the hell of module incongruencies, especially if
you need new modules installed for updated hardware, which is the most common
reason for installing a new kernel.

Package managers by and large, actually all of them, suck in the first place
Your checklist is wishful thinking.  And I'm not talking out of my hat.  I'm
talking from a SUSE 5.3 distro running on a P2 right now which has been continually patched
by hand for a LOT of years now.

The single biggest mistake someone can make aside from a dread aweful
rm command in jest is to install the Kernel from anything but an authenticed
source from kernel.org.

The only catch is that the Kernel itself has become so dreadfully large that
this is becoming increasingly strenous.  When I compiled the new alsa modules
with the new kernel a few months back it was almost 6 hours of clicking through
pointless options.  I've come to believe that the main source tree needs to 
be forked at this point for at least three levels of usage, the workstation,
server and big iron usages.

The days of "everyone into the pool" needs to be viewed with a jaundice eye.

Ruben
> 
> -- 
> 
> Chris Knadle
> Chris.Knadle at coredump.us
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