Re: Space, speed etc...

Albert Cahalan (albert@ccs.neu.edu)
Sat, 16 Mar 1996 01:23:35 -0500 (EST)

>>> 1. Space:
>>> ... So my idea is to make `make smth` to remove files that
>>> are not needed after `make config` was made...
>>=20
>> You mean, delete unwanted drivers and unused filesystems, and
>> generally clean the place up? That sounds like a damn good plan to
>> me. I'm sure 3/4 of the stuff would disappear if I could do that.
>>=20
>> What did "smth" stand for btw? :)
>>=20
>> Does anyone else dis/agree with this idea? If nobody else has time
>> to actually think about *doing* it, I'll give it a go...
>>=20
> Please don't do so! I, for example, use that 'not needed' drivers to=20
> build modules. Sure, the filesystem xiafs was never used by me, but if=20
> sometimes there is a need for it, I can simply load the module and I'm=20
> able to access it (only an idea).

Then you do not run 'make swth', and neither does Linus.
The rest of us save some disk space, maybe $10 worth.

> Or another scenario:
> What happens if you get a new piece of hardware, a SCSI adapter + tape=20
> for example. If you've deleted the sources for the SCSI drivers, you ar=
> e=20
> not able to recompile your kernel with SCSI support.

Then you either plan ahead and do not delete unused sources,
or you download a new kernel source tree. This is not automatic
deletion after 'make config', only when the user requests it!
(otherwise Linus himself could not run make config w/o destruction)