Two questions about FC1 kernel upgrades

[Panu Matilainen]

On Wed, 14 Jan 2004, Dag Wieers wrote:

> On Tue, 13 Jan 2004, Daniel Robitaille wrote:
> 
> > 1) Since I installed FC1 just before Christmas, I have had to do 4
> > kernel upgrades in 3 weeks.  Is that an anomalous period, or it's
> > always going to be like that in the Fedora world?  I don't remember so many
> > kernel updates in a short time like this with RHL8/9. Or I'm getting
> > what I'm paying for? :)
> > 
> >  Dec 24 14:48 vmlinux-2.4.22-1.2135.nptl 
> >  Jan  6 17:50 vmlinux-2.4.22-1.2138.nptl
> >  Jan  7 23:19 vmlinux-2.4.22-1.2140.nptl
> >  Jan 13 20:40 vmlinux-2.4.22-1.2149.nptl
> 
> Also a huge pain for kernel-module packagers. For each kernel release I'm 
> doing about 14 packages for 4 archs and 4 distributions, for smp and up.
> 
> That's about 448 kernel-module packages for each new kernel. It takes 
> more than 24 hours to do ;(

Ouch...

Since this came up, while more a -devel topic, packaging kernel modules 
into rpm's the way all the 3rd party repos are doing now is really a road 
to madness. Not only because the endless rebuild requirement but also end 
user transparency.. the current methods of upgrading those packages are by 
no means perfect :(

Have you looked at "Dynamic Kernel Module Support"? 
http://lists.us.dell.com/pipermail/linux-poweredge/2003-March/023795.html
(I haven't yet but intend to..) The described intent in the link above is 
actually for the reverse situation compared to what we're talking now but 
I think it could be used for our purposes just as well... (assuming it 
works and has no further complications of its own :)

	- Panu -