On Sun, 28 Nov 1999,Keith Robinson wrote:
| On Sat, 27 Nov 1999, you wrote:
| > This begs the next question.... is there a way to update your kernel over
| > the net in a similar fasion? Quite honestly, re-compiling a kernel is not
| > as intuitive as some people would have you believe.
| >
|
| I am linux-newbie and virtually a pc newbie. I can't say whether re-compiling a
| kernel is intuitive. I can definitely say this:
|
| 1 - re-compiling the kernel is one of the most thoroughly documented activities
| in Linux. The How-To is on the Web and should be on your distro. The readme from
| Linus is excellent and the other Docs that come with the source are also
| helpful.
|
| 2 - re-compiling the kernel has taught me gobs about my own system.
|
| 3 - re-compiling the kernel has taught me gobs about Linux.
|
| I don't know squat about programming and so having access to the source is
| meaningless to me. But it is very meaningful to me to be able to configure the
| kernel to do what I want it to do and what fits my system's hardware and my
| needs. eg, why use a kernel that supports NFS if I am not gonna use NFS?
|
| I use the xconfig utility. I go slowly and methodically, two skills which are a
| bit foreign to me. I read the documentation and when I come across something I
| don't understand I search the web for an explanation. eg, if I don't know what
| NFS is (or are) I find out.
|
| I find many things in Linux amazingly frustrating -- getting lost in circular
| dependancies while trying to install some new software;
If you use kpackage, select the "replace files" check box if you run into the
"circular deps" problem, or better still, select "file > multiple selection
mode", and install all the needed RPM's together. Hopefully this will help with
one of your frustrations.
working with ownerships
| and persmissions and their connections to files, processes and folders.
These may be frustrating, but they are also part of what makes the Linux OS
more secure than other OS's. For me, I'll be happy to live with the extra
bother for the greater stability and security. Can't help you with this one.
|
| For me re-compiling the kernel is satisfying and relatively risk-free. Even
| when I mess things up, I still have the existing kernel to use.
|
| CA$.02
|
| --
| --
| Keith Robinson
--
Ernie ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
The measure of a man is in his honor ...
