[GLLUG] GLLUG

[Bruce Smith]

> > I used to compile the kernel quite often back in the early
> > days of Linux (I started using Linux in 1994).  Luckily for
> > you Linux has come a LONG way since then.  I almost never
> > need to do a kernel compile anymore.  The major distro's
> > include support for almost any hardware as modules in the 
> > stock kernels on their CD.  Makes life a lot simpler!
> 
> I ALWAYS custom-compile my kernel.  I like to tweak it just for my needs
> (sometimes apply patches).  Plus I run Debian (Stable/Woody).  The
> kernel they are using is 2.4.(17 or 18).  I prefer to stay on the edge
> of the 2.4 curve, at least until Sarge (Debian/Testing) gets released.

I've never used Debian, so I can't comment on their kernels.

I started with Yggdrasil, and then Slackware.  I did my majority of
kernel compiles back then.

Then I switched to Redhat, using every release between 4.5 and 9.0.
I switched to Fedora Core 1 when Redhat dumped their free distro, was
less than happy with FC1, so I switched to SuSE 9.0 at that time.  
I'm currently running SuSE 9.1.

I can tell you that both Redhat/Fedora and SuSE come with HEAVILY
patched kernels.  In most cases they are more stable than stock kernels,
and you can have problems trying to run a stock kernel on either distro.
They also supply different kernel RPM's (UP/SMP, i386/i586/i686), plus
almost all hardware is modules, and the kernels are current at the time
the distro comes out.  I almost never need to recompile a kernel now.

For the few times I do run a kernel compile, I take the RH/SuSE source
(patched), make the changes / apply the patches I need, and recompile
that.  Never a stock kernel.

I did upgrade my SuSE 9.0 from kernel 2.4.x to 2.6.x, but I didn't have
much luck with a stock 2.6 kernel.  Luckily I managed to find some
unofficial 2.6 kernel SuSE RPM's (created by a SuSE developer), which
worked much better.

It's worth knowing how to compile and install a kernel, but it's SO MUCH
EASIER to just download and install new kernel RPM's from your distro
when a new bug or exploit is found!!!   :-)

 - BS