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From: Timothy Covell <timothy.covell@ashavan.org>
Reply-To: timothy.covell@ashavan.org
To: Reid Hekman <reid.hekman@ndsu.nodak.edu>, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: Aunt Tillie builds a kernel (was Re: ISA hardware discovery -- the elegant solution)
Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 17:30:51 -0600
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OK, drop what you're holding and prepare to load up on rotten
tomatoes, but I know that there is a solution.    Inasmuch as I
am a fan of Linux and BeOS, I think that the way to go is
with just about everything (sans networking perhaps) built
as a kernel module just like what is being discussed.    Nothing
is simpler in BeOS than downloading a driver and plopping
it in $HOME/config/add-ons/kernel/busses/ieee1394 (most install
scripts do this for the user or provides a "drag this driver to here"
link.   And with BeOS, the boot menu allows one to disable 
"user add-ons" so that if there is a problem with the module, one 
can disable it.  

	Yes, this doesn't please the server folks.  For them,
I think that we should either leave the monolithic build as an
option or find a way to get rid off any penalties to using modules.

	BeOS, autoconfigures and loads all drivers in the
15 seconds or so that it takes to achieve a complete hard
boot.    That much said, BeOS only supports good hardware
and left ISA stuff to user to play with (via a GUI tool).   I really 
do not see the value of any more discussion of how to 
autoconfigure ISA/MCA/EISA/VLB cards.   The vast majority 
of people using those systems are:

1. Still stuck in DOS World
2. Use M$ anyway
3. Would be afraid to upgrade their kernel
4. Think it's cool to have a Beowulf cluster of 386s
5. Forgot to turn off their computers before they died
6. Ancient sattelite based missile silos which we
wouldn't want to touch anyhow.....


-- 
timothy.covell@ashavan.org.
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