Volker Armin Hemmann wrote: > On Sonntag 08 November 2009, Stroller wrote: > >> On 8 Nov 2009, at 00:10, Volker Armin Hemmann wrote: >> >>> ... >>> using a livecds kernel is probably the worst decision out there. >>> >>> http://www.kroah.com/lkn/ >>> >>> as you can see, you don't have to download it. >>> >>> Or just do it step for step, reading help files. >>> >>> seccomp? Except Andrea Arcangeli nobody uses it. Can be deactivated. >>> I2O? >>> Almost nobody uses it. Especially not 'commodity' hardware, out it >>> goes. Numa? >>> Do you have a multi-socket system? No? Then you don't need it. ... >>> you can >>> remove a lot of cruft that way. Namespaces - you don't need it? Kick >>> 'em out. >>> Group scheduling? Sure, a great way to reduce performance... >>> >> But Volker, if it takes me an hour to decrapify my kernel config and >> make it faster, it will probably take 1000 years for those speed >> improvements to pay off. >> >> If I had unlimited time then I would love to read that book. I really >> LIKE the idea of decrapifying my kernel config. But realistically, any >> time I spend on it is time wasted, for which no difference will be >> appreciable. >> >> Stroller. >> >> > > I am not you, but I need maybe 5min for a config ;) > > and there are more benefits. Smaller binary, more cpu cache free for real > data. > Better performance lies that way. Also, you don't have to wonder about > processes you did not start. Security is also a point. A smaller codebase in > use is a saver codebase in use. A lot of bugs only affect kernels with > certain > features turned on - it is very relaxing if you don't have that feature... > >
I agree. When I first installed Gentoo I had never built a kernel or even run make menuconfig. It took me three tries to get a bootable kernel but it was worth it. I don't put something in my kernel that isn't needed or that I use, well except for NTFS support. I may have to rescue my brother one day. Point being, you only have to build one good kernel then you can copy and run make oldconfig after that. I'm with Volker on this, 5 minutes at most once you get a good build. If you know your system really well, you may can start from scratch and config one in that time. You really need to learn to make your own kernel. After all, it's the first file your computer loads when the OS starts booting up. It's also the first level of security. It is what deals with all the hardware on the most basic level. You also get to see your head swell when you get a lean kernel and say "I did that". Dale :-) :-)
