From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1MF7fG-0006wh-EG for qemu-devel@nongnu.org; Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:23:30 -0400 Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1MF7fB-0006vG-HK for qemu-devel@nongnu.org; Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:23:29 -0400 Received: from [199.232.76.173] (port=55085 helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1MF7fB-0006vD-C9 for qemu-devel@nongnu.org; Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:23:25 -0400 Received: from mo-p00-ob.rzone.de ([81.169.146.162]:61196) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1MF7fB-00041v-8J for qemu-devel@nongnu.org; Fri, 12 Jun 2009 10:23:25 -0400 Message-ID: <4A326498.90801@kevin-wolf.de> Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:22:16 +0200 From: Kevin Wolf MIME-Version: 1.0 Subject: Re: [Qemu-devel] [PATCH 0/4] Machine config files References: <20090610173803.4674.82538.stgit@wren.home> <4A30FE41.1040907@redhat.com> <200906111418.43669.paul@codesourcery.com> <4A3208F7.4030806@kevin-wolf.de> <87vdn11rzy.fsf@pike.pond.sub.org> In-Reply-To: <87vdn11rzy.fsf@pike.pond.sub.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit List-Id: qemu-devel.nongnu.org List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , To: Markus Armbruster Cc: qemu-devel@nongnu.org Markus Armbruster schrieb: > Kevin Wolf writes: > >> Paul Brook schrieb: >>> On Thursday 11 June 2009, Gerd Hoffmann wrote: >>>> On 06/10/09 19:38, Paul Brook wrote: >>>>> The following series implements machine config files, and adds converts >>>>> some of the existing hardcoded machines. >>>> Hmm. The converted machine types have a pretty static configuration, >>>> i.e. where you don't need to specify more that just "-M type" on the >>>> command line. >>>> >>>> What is the plan for machines which can be configured in alot of >>>> different ways such as a typical PC? Where you can configure lots of >>>> details such as cpu, memory, nic, disk drives, ... using command line >>>> options? >>> I don't believe most of these things should be configured by commandline >>> options. It's only done that way because we don't have any alternative (i.e. a >>> machine config file). If you really want full control, I expect your VM >>> manager will generate the machine config for you. >> >From my perspective as a qemu user, I definitely don't want to miss the >> command line options. Not having to create configuration files is >> exactly what gave me the "just works" feeling when I started using qemu. >> And I really don't plan to use management tools in future. > > I understand where you come from. For me, configuration files are fine. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against configuration files. Having them is great and probably I'd even find some uses for them occasionally. I just don't want to be _forced_ to use them which I fear is what Paul is talking about. > What I don't want is having to copy a lengthy configuration file just to > add a device. Because that leads to zillions of copies with little > differences here and there, and much diffing and merging on upgrade. Sure, couldn't agree more, but this is a different story. The solution for my problem is to retain command line options, the solution for your problem is some mechanism to have a config that adds devices to an existing base config (or changes options, removes devices, whatever). Probably my command line switches would use the same mechanism internally, but I don't really care. I'm just a random qemu user in this discussion. ;-) Kevin