Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1755877Ab0FCSy0 (ORCPT ); Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:54:26 -0400 Received: from caramon.arm.linux.org.uk ([78.32.30.218]:57627 "EHLO caramon.arm.linux.org.uk" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1754133Ab0FCSyZ (ORCPT ); Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:54:25 -0400 Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 19:53:33 +0100 From: Russell King To: Linus Torvalds Cc: Kevin Hilman , Daniel Walker , Linux Kernel Mailing List , linux-arm-msm@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: ARM defconfig files Message-ID: <20100603185333.GD25779@flint.arm.linux.org.uk> References: <20100603074548.GA12104@flint.arm.linux.org.uk> <20100603181010.GA25779@flint.arm.linux.org.uk> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.18 (2008-05-17) Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 2253 Lines: 58 On Thu, Jun 03, 2010 at 11:18:05AM -0700, Linus Torvalds wrote: > > > On Thu, 3 Jun 2010, Russell King wrote: > > > > Umm. I don't think you've actually looked at the Kconfig files if you're > > writing this, because that's precisely what we already do. > > .. but if you do this _right_, then the defconfig files would be > unnecessary. > > That's my point. If you are right, then I can remove the defconfig files > entirely. Are you ready for that? Absolutely no way are we ready for that. > And if you aren't ready for that, then what was the point of your email? Linus, don't make this personal. The problem is NOT "what options which are found under the arch/arm tree do I need". The problem is "what options throughout the rest of the kernel do I need to result in a usable kernel". No amount of reorganising the Kconfig files into a heirarchial manner (which they already are) helps. Not one bit. Because they already are. That's not where the problem is. For instance, if I have platform A, I know it has an RTC. How do I know which of the 37 RTC drivers the kernel configuration presents me with to select? Am I really expected to open up the platform and read the device numbers off all the chips (some of which being surface mount are abbreviated) and work out that it's a TWL4030 RTC that I should be using? That's just one instance - and there's probably many more just like that. Just look at "multifunction drivers" for another case in point. How the hell do I know what multifunction driver is appropriate for a platform? Ditto "Power supply support". The list goes endlessly on. All those things I've mentioned are all _outside_ of arch/arm. That's where the _real_ problem is. Solve that problem so that it's easier for people to configure the kernel, and then we don't need the multitude defconfig files. That's the problem which the defconfigs are solving today. -- Russell King Linux kernel 2.6 ARM Linux - http://www.arm.linux.org.uk/ maintainer of: -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/