Le sam 09/08/2003 � 13:00, Danny Tholen a �crit :
> [Contrib-RPM]
>
> -=-=-=-
> Name : kernel-multimedia-2.4.21.1mm.6mdk Relocations: (not relocateable)
> Version : 1 Vendor: MandrakeSoft
> Release : 1mdk Build Date: Sat Aug 9 11:54:06 2003
I just wonder if kernel-multimedia should not be included by default
when the user make a desktop install ( ok, there is not really a
desktop/server class during install, so maybe propose if the user want
to optimise is system for multimedia and if Y, then install
kernel-multimedia instead of standard kernel ).
Here are my points :
- normal user need a working supermount ( no erratic CDROM/floppy
access pb, no pb when transfering a large file from CDROM to HD ). Most
of the time we advise mdk to newbies because they will have a simple
installation, good config tools, and ... supermount. Indeed newcomers
don't appreciate and understand well mount/umount mecanism and they are
fed up with it when they try to change the CD and they can't because of
a console or even fam after having access it wia konqueror. So
supermount-ng is interesting for them.
- normal user are doing : web surfing, multimedia ( mp3/ogg,
avi/divx/qt ). That's why in each review reviewers complain about the
fact RH remove mp3 support in their distro. For this kind of activities,
good interactivity is a plus. so 0(1) secheduler, low-latency patches
are interesting.
standard kernel should be for server like activities : best stability,
throughput, acl, security, scalability. You don't need supermount on a
server, or low latency.
[*] Note : kernel enterprise is suitable is you have more than 1Gb of
RAM. if your server have less, you end up with normal kernel, so
kernel-enterprise is for server with ... many RAM.
Now if with HIGHMEM support a kernel is not slower or too slower than a
kernel without it, standard kernel could be remove and so u have just
kernel-enterprise, kernel-smp and kernel-secure.
[*] Note 2 : you can't put too fancy stuff in standard if you want to
preserve stability, but sometimes you need bleeding edge tech for the
users. mdk use to have latest packages versions, bleeding edge tech (
supermount, devfs, hotplug, ... ) even sometimes they sacrify stability.
Even worse they release sometimes buggy versions ( see 9.0 supermount
disaster and a little less 9.1 supermount pb ), but it was because
focusing on desktop they want to have bleeding edge tech. For a desktop
PC u don't need the best stability ( 436 days of uptime, heavy load
during 48 hours without a fail, etc ... ). You just need something
stable enough ( don't crash for stupid things or if the PC is unused
even during 6 months ). So that's why you can use bleeding edge tech if
they are "stable enough".
But for server they need the best stability, so you need to use prove
well test well know tech. You can't to both at the same time. I notice
that true mdk servers editions are often 1 release old.
worstation are between server & desktop. you need a good statbility, but
also you may need bleeding edge tech in order to have a good user
experience ( supermount when you use floppy/CD, maybe low latency ). If
fact a desktop PC may end up easily as a workstation if the user put a
gateway with NAT to share connection and a smb/nfs server to share disk
at home. As for a desktop PC, a workstation may need
Flash/Real/Quicktime/Java support if they need to access site using this
tech, etc ... What will differentiate them is maybe security level/need
and numbers/type of the apps installed.
Let us study RH and debian case.
Red Hat : even they target sometimes desktop, most of the times they
focus on workstation and server. So most of the times they don't have
the latest apps ( gcc2.96 & NPTL are exceptions ), and not not using
bleeding edges technologies. Now RH may be aiming to target desktop PC,
but for this they open their model and rely on community to do this
while they will focus on server.
Debian : long cycle of development, focus on stability. good for server
then. But look at most desktop debian users ... they are using unstable
and not stable, because as desktop users, they don't need the greatest
stability of the world, but the lastest/finest/coolest apps.
So I understand if Juan Quintela don't want to include supermount-ng,
low-latency and maybe other fancy stuff. But for desktop user ... it's
good for server, maybe workstation, but not for desktop user. Most of
the time they want bleeding edge. Ok, mdk provide kernel-multimedia on
third CD, and ? Are you going to tell the user to install by hand this
kernel after the install ? and if they are using for example nvidia
drivers ? they install kernel-multimedia, reboot, black screen, "help,
help ... blabla - you need to reinstall nvidia drivers - how can i do it
? bla bla - bla bla bla " and so on on IRC/forum/ML. No this need to be
done at install stage, before XFree install installation in order to
cope with this kind of pb.
swiss knife are good ( mdk may be considered as the swiss knife of linux
), but with a swiss knife you can't do all that you want if you want to
cook well or be more than McGiver.
Just my 2 euro cents.
--- et on fait comment pour etre sur irc et avoir teardrop - #linuxfr
