The Great Wakka's Journal: Kernel Compile

Even now, gcc is churning through thousands of lines of code to bring me a brand new kernel. I untarred the file, and typed make config, make dep, and make bzImage. I, frankly, don't understand what's so hard about it. Sure, it takes a while, but that can be expected. The Slashdot article Should Aunt Tillie Build Her Own Kernels?, I feel, is totally unwarrented. It's already so simple that I think it absurd. This is my first kernel compile, build from downloaded source (2.4.17).

If it is so hard, why does everyone worry about it? It seems easy enough...

UPDATE Jan 17 19:57: Good god, Lilo doesn't want to boot it 'cause the kernel file is too large! What's the maximum size for a kernel? And that is really silly limitation!

Simple eh?

[heliocentric]

I, frankly, don't understand what's so hard about it... It's already so simple that I think it absurd.

[later]

Lilo doesn't want to boot it 'cause the kernel file is too large!

Not to flame, but I think you answered your own question. Plus, there are some advocates out there who think linux both belongs on and is moving towards the desktop. If this goal (ie, making things so simple Aunt Whoever can do things with just magic points and clicks) is something you agree with then making an easy kernel config tool would be appealing. I can't say I agree with this camp at this point in time, but I understand their feelings and I respect their goals.

;)

[rendler]

You will want to build a lot of the drivers as modules and not directly into the kernel. The kernel file is too large problem should be pretty rare with the advent of bzImage from zImage, but if you build most of your drivers as modules you shouldn't have that problem. Also you might want to try make menuconfig dep bzImage modules_install install all in one go, saves on the typing. As for difficulty of a joe user compiling their own Linux kernel I think that doing such a thing is way beyond their ability. And why should they even have to when the vendors make pretty fine kernels with everything but the kitchen sink thrown in. You have to remember that the kernel controls virtually everything on the machine, and with a stock kernel there are a lot of options that are not enabled. It takes a pretty skilled person to know excatly what features they need enabled and what they don't (to reduce bloat). Forgetting to enable netfilter support and then wondering why the firewall script is going crazy the next reboot is something I could very easily see happening. There are so many features/options that can be used to make a custom kernel that unless you spend the time going through all of them the average joe user will never be able to make their own kernel that will do excalty all they need it to do.

ROFL

[xinu]

omfg. I can't help but laugh.