andreas.thalham...@linux.com wrote: > Hello LKML! > > I am a Linux Desktop user since around 2001. Doing the math, that’s more than > a decade! > > Having watched http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjRAKuis7T8 (LinuxCon 2013, > Dirk > Hohndel and Linus Torvalds on stage) I decided to share an idea I had to make > kernel building easier for computer end-users: > > How aboud a free and open hardware database for configuring Linux? > > My idea would make a very simple to get kernel configuration for a modulized > hardware and feature base. It should be some kind of open for everybody > database in which everyone may participate. > > (This would off course only be of use for power users or developers. Regular > users will use stock kernels from their Linux distribution anyway. BTW, I use > Gentoo Linux.) > > An example: > My computer is a PC. The motherboard is an MSI 890FXA-GD70, it has an AMD > Phenom II X6 1090T in the CPU slot. So this setup would be the basic entry to > look for, which will provide a kernel configurtion for this specific > hardware. > For example, the module for the Fintek F71889ED Super IO Sensor has to be > selected (CONFIG_SENSORS_F71882FG) as well as CONFIG_SENSORS_K10TEMP for the > CPU. > > I know lm_sensors has a tools for that already: sensors-detect. But not > everything is covered there, is there? > > Then I would also combine this config with a config module for my graphics > card. It is a Radeon HD 6770, so readonkms has to be selected properly. Some > kernel parameters may also be wise, such as video=radeondrmfb, radeon.aspm=1 > and radeon.dpm=1. > > It should also be possible to combine this config with a config module for my > monitor. This will show that the resolution of this monitor is 1680x1050. > Unfortunately this resultution is not part of the VESA BIOS, so the kernel > command-line parameter video=radeondrmfb will be expanded by 1680x1050-32@60. > > Some basic profiles may define how the PC will be used: i.e. as a file > server, > as a Desktop conputer or as a gaming computer. A "cutting edge with all the > new features" profile may select everything that is usable for this computer. > > Every ISA/EISA/VLB/PCI/AGP/PCIe expansion card can and will add some config > settings to the big kernel configuration. I.e. if you had a DVB-TV card or > whatever. > > A basic "All USB-end-user-devices" config module for all possible USB devices > may select everything except those self-made stuff, like a thermal probe. On > the other hand, specific stuff should be allowed too. I.e. the Digitus > Cardreader All-in-one, USB 3.0 (DA-70330) – is a specific reader module > required (CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_*)? > > In the end there would be a hardware database, maybe combined with a wiki, > that includes developer information like hardware addresses and such as well > as user reports and kernel configuration modules for that hardware. > > Jumping to a newer kernel will automatically set the new/changed > CONFIG_SOMETHING for the selected profile. > > This would also be handy for Laptops and very narrow configured hardware such > as Apple computers (my Power Mac G4 for example). > > A tool for this could go into the kernel sources. It would detect the > hardware > present in the system using everything that is available (e.g. lspci) and > show > a configuration menu (make config-alike) that will enable the user to select > or deselect specific hardware config modules and profiles (i.e. "file > server"). > > Compiling a new kernel will then not result in searching the whole kernel > config for new or changed options like it is now (just recently I had to > change video=radeonfb to video=radeonkmsfb in my GRUB config). > > For kernel developers this could also be a very useful tool, because users > can > point to the specific hardware that makes troubles on Linux. And, like it is > in a community, developers may be able to reach users willing to participate > in testing new patches for fixing these troubles… > > This is just an idea. Now it’s out there – do with it whatever you like. The > idea is hereby released under the GPL-2 :-) > -- > To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in > the body of a message to majord...@vger.kernel.org > More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html > Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
So, you are saying that this should be available for power users only, since it requires kernel compilation. I have a few points to make. 1. Wouldn't power users know how to configure the kernel anyway for their system? 2. What about future hardware upgrades (on both a laptop and desktop machines). 3. What's wrong with stock distribution kernels? 4. Wouldn't this take a great amount of manpower for I guess minimum benefits? -- Aldo Iljazi -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majord...@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
