On 8 Nov 2009, at 06:55, Dale wrote:
...
I am not you, but I need maybe 5min for a config ;)
and there are more benefits. Smaller binary, more cpu cache free
for real data.
Better performance lies that way. Also, you don't have to wonder
about
processes you did not start. Security is also a point. A smaller
codebase in
use is a saver codebase in use. A lot of bugs only affect kernels
with certain
features turned on - it is very relaxing if you don't have that
feature...
I agree. When I first installed Gentoo I had never built a kernel or
even run make menuconfig. It took me three tries to get a bootable
kernel but it was worth it. I don't put something in my kernel that
isn't needed or that I use, well except for NTFS support. I may
have to
rescue my brother one day. Point being, you only have to build one
good
kernel then you can copy and run make oldconfig after that. I'm with
Volker on this, 5 minutes at most once you get a good build. If you
know your system really well, you may can start from scratch and
config
one in that time.
You really need to learn to make your own kernel. ...
Whilst I agree in principle that a good (slim?) kernel is better and
your comments on that, I am sceptical whether the majority of people
have the knowledge to make any significant performance or security
improvements.
AIUI the kernels shipped by distros like Red Hat, for instance, are
configured by the very people that work on and maintain the mainline
kernel tree. How can any of us simple end-users compete with that?
I imagine it to be very easy for any of us normal people to enable or
disable options that make significant performance impact - but we
would never know it, because we're not benchtesting it or even
qualified to assess proper benchtests.
I cannot believe that in a day you could study this subject
sufficiently to have any reasonable competence on the matter. And thus
if you do spend only a day, that's wasted time. I would add that the
kernel is evolving constantly, and in a year's time your knowledge -
and your .config - is likely to be at least somewhat outdated.
I chose to copy the .config from Knoppix because it's easy to get hold
of that, but also because it's selected by someone who knows more than
me, and it is likely to work with any hardware I install into my
machine or connect by USB. I take Volker's point that a LiveCD .config
_could_ be the worst possible choice so I'm open to alternatives, but
I hope those who say I should "learn to make your own kernel"
appreciate my points over how effectual that will be - sure, I can
delete my .config and start again with `make menuconfig` and I can go
through every option and read the help, and I'm sure I'll get just as
good results as 80% of the people on this list, but I just don't know
that that's much of an answer.
Stroller.
