Re: Kernelsources writeable for everyone?!

[Matthew Frost <artusemrys@sbcglobal.net>]

Joshua Hudson wrote:
> I feel like asking how they initially get set to world-writable. To me
> it means that the tree that is being tarred up for distribution is
> world-writible. I sure hope that it is a single-user box.
> -

Yeah.  Having said, "Take advice", I'm also curious as to just the 
why/how of the current configuration and the work patterns that create 
it.  I get the impression that there *is* a reason for it, because if it 
were just a security issue, I can't see this much resistance to changing 
it.  Sane tar permissions and sensible usage aside.

The kernel untar-and-compile procedure has been documented this way 
since at least 2000, from Linus.  There's a good recent (and short) 
discussion from Jesper Juhl on LXer that references it, as well.

http://uwsg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0007.3/0587.html
http://lxer.com/module/forums/t/22410/

The previous two l-k threads I can find on this topic (one listed 
earlier in this thread, one referenced from it) don't seem to be any 
more revelatory about why the tarball is as it is.  I might guess that 
it has to do with how changes get checked in, but I also have the vague 
memory that these aren't tar()ed on a development box.  I could be 
wrong.  Consider me seconding the "Why?" aspect, if anybody's still 
listening.  :)

Matt