On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 08:54:29AM -0700, Mike McClain wrote: > The kernel provided when you install Linux, Debian included, has to work > on nearly every system out there so it includes drivers for nearly piece > of hardware that can be installed in a PC. > > I always compile a kernel with only the hardware I have in my computer. > This gives me a smaller memory footprint and a smaller disk footprint.
I'd like to get some proof of this. For many years, the Linux kernel has been modular, and, barring some filesystem support and similar, almost all hardware support is achieved by means of loadable modules. So, a module is loaded only if you have the hardware which has a need for it. This is why a stock Debian kernel will load the driver for just an Intel sound card if you have one, and not drivers for any other brands. However, tomorrow, when you switch out the sound card, the same kernel can support the new sound card without needing a rebuild. Please correct me if I have missed something here. Thanks. Kumar -- "If you want to travel around the world and be invited to speak at a lot of different places, just write a Unix operating system." (By Linus Torvalds) -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/20120711041248.ga7...@bluemoon.alumni.iitm.ac.in
