Re: [ProgSoc] buying computers

[Telford <telford@nospam.progsoc.uts.edu.au>]

On Sat, Jan 20, 2001 at 12:44:11PM +0000, WzDD wrote:
> On Sat, 20 Jan 2001, Telford wrote:
> >
> > Also, there are two sets of Nvidia drivers -- one is binary only
> > and works well but only links with just the right kernels (painful).
> 
> I was actually quite surprised he said that, since the driver works
> perfectly on 2.2.17 and .18

That is 2.2.17 and 2.2.18 compiled with which CONFIG settings?
After all, if you compile with SMP turned on then many of the internal
kernel structures change size. What if you have installed one of the
many kernel patches such as the low-latency kernel or the real-time
kernel (this is not a silly question when you think that Quake players
are going to benefit from both the low-latency and the graphics).

It seems that the plan is to make the kernel compilation process
embed the entire CONFIG into every kernel module for precisely this
reason -- so that we people release these binary-only modules we can
know which CONFIG settings they are going to work with.

What if you don't have your kernel compiled for modules and you haven't
installed any modules-handling infrastructure?

I'm just pointing out that there are lots of situations where a binary-only
kernel module is going to be difficult and just because it works for
some people doesn't prove all that much.

-- 
S1G: 19972841 seconds remaining			- Tel
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