[Fedora-packaging] Kernel modules (was: Re: tpctl in extras missing dependancy for kernel-module-thinkpad)

[Jack Neely]

> > As for naming, the kernel version needs to be stored
> > *somewhere*.
> 
> Dependencies, surely, but it does not _have_ to be in the package's NVR,
> as demonstrated by the external kernel module packages in FC4 (eg.
> GFS-kernel).  Having it in the NVR somewhere is useful for humans, and
> it can be (ab?)used to get depsolvers to do "stuff".
> 

Your kernel module should require the kernel it was built for.  Its
simple and already common practice.  I already have depresolver code
that examines the EVR of any Requires that are in the list of packages
considered kernel packages.

I strongly oppose having the kernel version/type in the packages NVR.
The depresolver should be smart enough to know when to install kernel
module packages and in what conditions to erase them.  Kernel module
packages are never upgraded.

> >  And we need to finalize the naming issue before we can
> > decide what behavior depsolvers need.
> 

I prefer the naming scheme of <foo>-kernel

However the depresolver should not hinge off of a specific naming
scheme.  Kernel modules should Provide kernel-modules to trigger the
extra functionality in the depresolver.

Jack Neely

-- 
Jack Neely <slack at quackmaster.net>
Realm Linux Administration and Development
PAMS Computer Operations at NC State University
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