FYI: /sbin/weak-modules

[Rahul]

Sam Varshavchik wrote:
> Jon Masters writes:
> 
>> Hi folks,
>>
>> Several people have been asking what /sbin/weak-modules is/does,
>> mostly because it started script spewing the other day (sorry about
>> that!) on kernel updates.
>>
>> weak-modules is part of some driver updates work we're doing at Red
>> Hat and also involves folks working on Fedora Extras "kmod" kernel
>> packaging (see the packaging list archives). Essentially, this and
>> other scripts are part of a system for allowing compatible kernel
>> modules to continue to work after a kernel update occurs -
>> weak-modules is the part that figures out which kernels are compatible
>> with a driver.
>>
>> There's more information (and some out of date packages - look at
>> rawhide for the current latest stuff!) at
>> http://www.kerneldrivers.org/ and I will add documentation for those
>> who were looking for it and could not find any - I'm sorry that's not
>> been done yet.
>>
>> I'm trying to work with the folks at SuSE/Novell to ultimately offer
>> kernel module package authors a standardized packaging process too
>> (over and above what we each do separately) - I'm going to start by
>> introducing a new macro in redhat-rpm-config along the lines agreed
>> between those of us who met up at OLS to discuss driver updates last
>> week. This is not aimed at undermining the work that's been done in
>> Extras - it's just an additional option.
>>
>> If you would like more information, just drop me an email (I'm also
>> jcm at redhat.com when wearing my work hat!) or reply to this one.
> 
> What exactly is the problem being solved here?  I don't see any obvious 
> link to anything on kerneldrivers.org that describes what this stuff does.
> 
> I build lirc and ivtv modules each time a new kernel comes out, and I 
> have absolutely no problems doing that.  Couldn't be any easier.  Piece 
> of cake. I'm not sure what problem needs solving here.  I just install 
> the new kernel and kernel-devel packages, run the script that builds a 
> corresponding lirc and ivtv kernel driver packages, pointing the build 
> at the right build directory, then install the driver packages and 
> reboot.  Couldn't be simpler.
> 
> If someone really wants to make building kernel driver packages easier, 
> they can simply fix THE HORRIBLE UGLY STINKING CRAP code that 
> kernel-devel's %post script uses to hardlink the identical kernel source 
> files.
> 
> If I set out to do this specific task in the most grossly inefficient 
> manner possible, there's no way I could do it any better than the 
> existing mess. The brain-damaged script literally reads the entire 
> /usr/src/kernels, by forking thousands of mind-numbing child procs.  
> And, the more kernels you have installed, the slooower and 
> sloooooooooooooower everything takes.
> 
> Has anyone ever heard of this thing called an SHA1 hash?
> 
> Anybody?
> 
> Hello!!! McFly!!! Anybody home????
> 

Anybody heard of being civil? If you have problems, file bug reports.

Rahul