Re: Report: Threaded udevd

["Karl O. Pinc" <kop@meme.com>]

On 10/22/2008 11:24:53 AM, Greg KH wrote:
> On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 05:15:31PM +0200, Marco d'Itri wrote:
> > On Oct 22, Scott James Remnant <scott@canonical.com> wrote:
> >
> > > I see no problem with depending on the very latest kernels; using
> a
> > > latest udev version goes hand-in-hand with using a latest kernel.
> > I do, since this tends to badly mess upgrades...

FWIW, I've a perspective as an end-user....

There have been several times when I've got hardware that's
too new.  I get it to work by installing a newer kernel,
either one I build or something backported.  (FWIW I tend to
use Deiban.)

Aside from having to learn how to build and install a custom
udev to go with my newer kernel, I'd have to learn how to
install and uninstall the new udev depending upon
which kernel I'm running.

If udev is to be closely tied to the kernel version
it'd be nice if:

A) Packagers packaged udev with the kernel.  (No doubt causing
problems for those who don't use udev for whatever reason.)

B) The boot process automatically used the correct udev to
go with the kernel chosen at boot time.

In the ideal world newer kernels would work with older
userspace binaries for at least a few years.  Otherwise
it soon becomes impossible for a mere mortal to
run newer kernel versions because the system integration
involved gets out of control.  I occasionally provide
support on irc and I already feel close to the edge
when it comes to telling somebody what they need to
do to try a newer kernel.  It would be sad to have to
tell people "you'll have to wait months, at least, for
the distro to integrate the latest code before you can
run Linux on your shiny new hardware".  (It always
seems to be the network hardware that's a problem,
which sorta makes Linux a non-starter.)

Regards,

Karl <kop@meme.com>
Free Software:  "You don't pay back, you pay forward."
                  -- Robert A. Heinlein