From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Fri, 25 May 2001 02:33:29 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Fri, 25 May 2001 02:33:19 -0400 Received: from snark.tuxedo.org ([207.106.50.26]:61454 "EHLO snark.thyrsus.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id ; Fri, 25 May 2001 02:33:10 -0400 Date: Fri, 25 May 2001 02:35:58 -0400 From: "Eric S. Raymond" To: Keith Owens Cc: CML2 , kbuild-devel@lists.sourceforge.net Subject: Re: Configure.help entries wanted Message-ID: <20010525023558.B5622@thyrsus.com> Reply-To: esr@thyrsus.com Mail-Followup-To: "Eric S. Raymond" , Keith Owens , CML2 , kbuild-devel@lists.sourceforge.net In-Reply-To: <20010525012200.A5259@thyrsus.com> <23530.990770596@kao2.melbourne.sgi.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.2.5i In-Reply-To: <23530.990770596@kao2.melbourne.sgi.com>; from kaos@ocs.com.au on Fri, May 25, 2001 at 04:03:16PM +1000 Organization: Eric Conspiracy Secret Labs X-Eric-Conspiracy: There is no conspiracy Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Keith Owens : > I claim my erudition prize (do I get steak knives with that?). Results doubtful. Consult Magic 8-Ball again :-). I'm going to critique these individually pour encourager les autres. > +Disable IA-64 Virtual Hash Page Table > +CONFIG_DISABLE_VHPT > + The Virtual Hash Page Table (VHPT) enhances virtual address > + translation performance. Normally you want the VHPT active but you > + can select this option to disable the VHPT for debugging. If you're > + unsure, answer N. Excellent! Second sentence a good example of motivation. > +McKinley A-step specific code > +CONFIG_MCKINLEY_ASTEP_SPECIFIC > + Select this option to build a kernel for an IA64 McKinley system > + with any A-stepping CPU. > + > +McKinley A0/A1-step specific code > +CONFIG_MCKINLEY_A0_SPECIFIC > + Select this option to build a kernel for an IA64 McKinley system > + with an A0 or A1 stepping CPU. Ah, now I could have written these. What I was hoping for was extra information analogous to what's in these: Enable Itanium B-step specific code CONFIG_ITANIUM_BSTEP_SPECIFIC Select this option to build a kernel for an Itanium prototype system with a B-step CPU. You have a B-step CPU if the "revision" field in /proc/cpuinfo has a value in the range from 1 to 4. Enable Itanium B0-step specific code CONFIG_ITANIUM_B0_SPECIFIC Select this option to build a kernel for an Itanium prototype system with a B0-step CPU. You have a B0-step CPU if the "revision" field in /proc/cpuinfo is 1. Is there a value range in /proc/cpuinfo that tells you you have an A/A0 step? > +IA64 compare-and-exchange bug checking > +CONFIG_IA64_DEBUG_CMPXCHG > + Selecting this option turns on bug checking for the IA64 > + compare-and-exchange instructions. This is slow! If you're unsure, > + select N. > + > +IA64 IRQ bug checking > +CONFIG_IA64_DEBUG_IRQ > + Selecting this option turns on bug checking for the IA64 irq_save and > + restore instructions. This is slow! If you're unsure, select N. These would be much improved by some indication of what IA64 variants or mask steppings have these problems. > +IA64 Early printk support > +CONFIG_IA64_EARLY_PRINTK > + Selecting this option uses the VGA screen for printk() output before > + the consoles are initialised. It is useful for debugging problems > + early in the boot process, but only if you have a VGA screen > + attached. If you're unsure, select N. Good! > +IA64 Print Hazards > +CONFIG_IA64_PRINT_HAZARDS > + Selecting this option prints more information for Illegal Dependency > + Faults, that is, for Read after Write, Write after Write or Write > + after Read violations. This option is ignored if you are compiling > + for an Itanium A step processor (CONFIG_ITANIUM_ASTEP_SPECIFIC). If > + you're unsure, select Y. Excellent! This is a fine start. -- Eric S. Raymond "If I must write the truth, I am disposed to avoid every assembly of bishops; for of no synod have I seen a profitable end, but rather an addition to than a diminution of evils; for the love of strife and the thirst for superiority are beyond the power of words to express." -- Father Gregory Nazianzen, 381 AD