Joe Perches <joe@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes: > On Sat, 2016-10-01 at 14:53 -0400, Jes Sorensen wrote: >> Joe Perches <joe@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes: >> > Make the init arrays const to reduce data. >> > $ size drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/built-in.o* >> > (allyesconfig: x86-32) >> > text data bss dec hex filename >> > 80107 13651 58 93816 16e78 >> > drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/built-in.o.new >> > 65303 28435 58 93796 16e64 >> > drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtl8xxxu/built-in.o.old >> In total you grow the kernel by 20 bytes. You reduce the data segment >> substantially while growing the text segment instead. > > No, not really. The alignment boundaries move a bit for > this particular compilation. It could go the other way for > a different compiler version or set of CONFIG options. > > What's important is multiple pages of .data move to .rodata. Your output shows it moving to the text segment - if it's in a different segment, eg. rodata, you should use output demonstrating that to justify the change. Jes