[Haifux] No! No! Don't compile your kernel!

[Eli Billauer]

Nadav Har'El wrote:

> When was the last time you compiled gcc on your own? When was the last time
> you compiled the X Window System? For me, the answers to both questions is
> 1995. If you answered similarly (or even, "never"), why should the kernel be
> any different - i.e., why do you need to compile a kernel unless you're a
> kernel developer (and 99.9% of Linux users aren't)?
>
>   
In my case, I've had two reasons lately: One was because I wanted new 
hardware to be supported on an outdated distribution, and the second was 
because I wanted the kernel to support root on NFS without an initrd.

I agree, that both issues have workarounds. In particular, most people 
upgrade the whole system when hardware isn't supported. As for the root 
on NFS, I could alter the initrd to do the job necessary, and go on with 
that. I had my reasons not to take that path.

Anyhow, the issue here is that compiling from sources is getting less 
and less common, which in turn makes the sources more and more difficult 
to compile. In the past, I maintained my system with compiling tarballs, 
and it was quick and easy. Today, I pray when going ./configure, even on 
an up-to-date system.

And to take this issue to a broader scope: If the source becomes 
difficult to compile, we slowly drift towards losing the edge of free 
software. When only large corporates will have the knowledge and 
patience to compile from source, it won't matter so much whether you can 
obtain it or not. If nobody except corporates dig into the gory details, 
we will all end up depending on them. And they will, at best, allow us 
use of the software they distribute free, as in beer.

   Eli

-- 
Web: http://www.billauer.co.il