On Fri, 6 Aug 1999 13:02:15 +1000, CaT wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 05, 1999 at 07:41:59PM -0700, Jon Pennington wrote:
> > Modularize it! Things like ethernet cards, sound cards, and PPP
shouldn't
> > need to be built into the kernel. If your / partition resides on a
SCSI
> > disk, then you can build IDE disk support as a module. Conversely, if
your
> > / is on an IDE disk, SCSI should be a module.
>
> That's one way to do things. Personally though, I'd only recommend
> modules for when you can't make a bzlilo, or your system configuration
> is such that you need two+ copies of a driver to make all your h/w
> funciton properly.
That's not true. The modules are exactly that: Modules. The kernel is
built with hooks for the modules to grab, but there are no unnecessary
'copies' of drivers.
> Overmodularisation is, IMO, pointless and doesn't gain you anything.
> the only thing that's modular in my kernel is the ppp compression
> and that's only because I can't compile it in. Everything from IDE,
> SCSI, my filesystems and even sound is compile din and works great
> and with no mess.
True, monolithic kernels are simpler, but there is speed to be gained by
modularization. If a module is not needed, it is unloaded, which means that
the kernel is smaller. Smaller means faster. You might not notice any
speed difference on anything faster than, say, 200 Mhz, but it's there. If
we were all still running 25Mhz 386's, nobody would still use a monolith.
> This way I don't get to forget 'make modules && make moduleS_install'
> whem making my kernel, don't have to fiddle with /etc/conf.modules
> and kerneld or themodutils. All that I need is there, ready and
> waiting.
I don't have to fiddle with kerneld or conf.modules. Then again, most of my
hardware is PCI (except for my non-pnp modem), so the bios handles
everything for me. Again, if you're running faster than 200Mhz, you won't
notice the time it takes to load a module.
> Anyways, that's just another POV. :) Roll with whichever makes your day.
You said it. :) My last boss used to say the following,"There is no such
thing as a right way or a wrong way. There are simply ways that work, and
ways that don't work, albeit some ways work better than others." That's the
cool thing about Linux, we have choices! :)
-=|JP|=- (Resident GNUbie)
Jon Pennington | SuSE Linux 6.0
[EMAIL PROTECTED] | Kernel 2.2.7+
Kansas City, Missouri, USA | K6-2 350
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