tir, 01.03.2005 kl. 19.43 skrev Mike Hearn: > Hello, > > I'd like to propose that kernel updates release via fedora-updates use the > same modversions.h as the last one if there were no interface > changes. I know that may be a controversial proposal, but read on. > > For security fixes, it's rare (but not impossible) that a kernel interface > changes. In this case it would be possible to use the same symbol mangling > and therefore not prevent user-compiled modules from loading, and it would > be safe. > > For the other updates released, more care would have to be taken > to notice if there were changes or not - if there was any doubt about > binary compatibility, then modversions would still change, but if there > was simply eg, a driver bugfix then it would not be changed. > > This solves the following problem: > > Bill sets up a Linux system for Sally. She does a "yum upgrade" because > she knows it's important to stay up to date to be secure. The kernel is > changed, and as a result various things break even though the update was > fixing a race condition in a syscall implementation. She does not > know how to fix it. > > This is not a "please can the kernel have a stable ABI" email. > > It doesn't, and that's the end of the story. This is a "please do not > prevent self-compiled modules from loading unless there is a real need" > email, which I haven't seen brought up before (you have my apologies if it > was) and should not have much impact outside a bit more work for Dave > Jones I guess ;) > > Is this possible to do? It would require a careful analysis of the changes > being made to the kernel in online updates, but hopefully this already > happens anyway :) The actual build system modifications should not be too > tricky, I hope ... > > thanks -mike It *could* be great - exept, it trashes expectations (not correct word, i know...). A user can today know "if i update my kernel i must *always* recompile external modules". If this happens, it is "if i install a new kernel, i *might* have to recompile my module, and only way (wihout being a kernel guru) to know is to reboot and see what happens...". Kyrre
