Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:03:39 +0100
From: Natanael Copa <ncopa@alpinelinux.org>
To: alpine-devel@lists.alpinelinux.org
Subject: [alpine-devel] What can  we remove from our kernel?
Message-ID: <20120123160339.77d895fb@ncopa-desktop.nor.wtbts.net>
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Hi,

I have been looking at upgrading the kernel to 3.2 and I realize that
configuring kernel is a pretty big job. I am struggling with keeping
up with all the new stuff.

This is a request for help in tuning the default kernel config.

In the beginning the strategy was "enable all as module" so users
themselves could decide what to load and not to load. After a while
that didn't really work out because kernel is getting very big (delays
kernel compile, uses diskspace in packages, iso images and on all
places alpine are installed) and there are things that does not make any
sense to include at all.

Disabling new stuff by default and only enable on request is not very
good either. It is nice to boot up alpine on some new hardware and it
just works - no need to nag developers for adding support and wait til
next release.

So I am very interested in things that we *can* disable. Things that
does not make any sense to keep in kernel anymore.

For example: Do we really need PCMCIA support nowdays?

Things to keep in mind:
* We can expect people with older hardware might want run something
  lightweight like Alpine Linux
* Networking and virtualization are some of our strong sides.
* A desktop is nice but lots of desktop things (like flash) will never
  work anyways.
* Gaming on Alpine is limited and will never be "perfect". (so I
  disabled the wii remote driver...)

So, any suggestions about what we can remove?

Thanks!

-nc


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