Re: [RFC] Flat /lib/modules/`uname -r`

From: Ricky Beam (jfbeam@bluetopia.net)
Date: Sat Apr 22 2000 - 15:02:14 EST


On Sat, 22 Apr 2000, Keith Owens wrote:
>Cons.
>
> * modprobe needs to be updated whenever a new /lib/modules/`uname -r`
> directory is added or third party code is installed.

Modprobe or it's configuration... this is the way software is supposed to
work: it does _exactly_ what you tell it to do. [devfs has the same "con"
and nobody seems to care.]

> * Users have to hunt through subdirectories for modules.

This is not a "con". There's no way to tell what is what is a directory
full of hundreds of files. Say you want to know what network drivers
were available as a module... 'ls .../net' is a much better idea.

> * New directories need changes to Makefile as well as sub Makefiles.

So? New drivers need changes to Makefile as well. Are you an idiot or
just damned lazy?

> * A user can recompile a kernel to switch code from module to
> builtin. If they do not change the value of `uname -r` and forget
> to erase the old /lib/modules/`uname -r` contents, they end up with
> obsolete modules. This leads to code that is built into the kernel
> but still exists as a module, if the old module is loaded it tends
> to crash the kernel.

This hasn't one damned thing to do with a flat namespace. If you don't
delete it, it's still going to be there... the presence or abscence of
sub-directories makes no difference. [This is in the realm of System
Administration. If you change the module configuration, you really
should clear the directory.]

>All things considered, the cons outweigh the pros.

No they don't.

--Ricky

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