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Date: Thu, 01 Aug 2002 11:33:33 +0200
From: Helge Hafting <helgehaf@aitel.hist.no>
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To: David Lang <david.lang@digitalinsight.com>
CC: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [2.6] The List, pass #2
References: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0207311500210.1038-100000@dlang.diginsite.com>
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David Lang wrote:
> 
> > > o Remove all hardwired drivers from kernel
> >
> > I really hope this means drivers MAY be used as modules, not MUST. There
> > is some overhead in doing things as modules, and added complexity usually
> > means "harder to debug." Particularly with modules where there can be
> > corner conditions and races on [un]load.
> 
> Bill,
>   Several people (IIRC including Alan Cox) would like to make many of the
> modules (network cards and scsi drivers for example) mandatory, requiring
> use of an initrd (or it's replacement) on all boot setups.

As far as I know, they plan on doing things like 
disk partition detection outside the kernel, i.e. in
a userspace program.  That clearly require
a initrd (or similiar) for anybody with root
on a partitioned disk.

Lots of other bootup initialization, like DHCP,
might move to userspace as well.  This gives a smaller
and safer kernel.

I cannot see this requiring modules though.  Even a
kernel without any module support at all should
work fine for those who compile their own.
Redhat and other distributors may be interested in
shipping a completely modular kernel that
loads modules from that initrd, but that certainly
won't be a _requirement_ for all kernels. 

Helge Hafting
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