Couple of comments:

Todd Vierling <tv@pobox.com> writes:
> On 11 May 1999, Chris G. Demetriou wrote:
> 
> : Realistically, given their current level of functionality, what
> : fraction of users find _any_ real utility from NULLFS, KERNFS, FDESC,
> : PORTAL, UMAPFS, PROCFS, or UNION?  How many users actually care about
> 
> Procfs, most definitely.  Saved my ass with `ps' twice now.

Not clear it's so useful if it's what you're intending to ship in the
generic kernel for _releases_.  i mean, in releases (or snapshots 8-),
the kernel and 'ps' is supposed to be consistent.


> : the UFS QUOTA code, or XNS, CCITT, or ISO networking?  It's not an
> : insignificant number, but i'd bet there's a high correlation between
> : that set of users and the set that has a strong understanding of what
> : to put in a kernel config.
> 
> Yes; however, the QUOTA code is likely used by far more people than the
> CCITT/ISO code.  (I was meaning to ask why it wasn't in an alpha GENERIC.)

Actually, I'm not convinced that QUOTA has ever been adequately tested
on the alpha...  8-)


> Now ... yes, I agree that we should have a way of doing an "everything"
> kernel different from a "support most things" kernel, but we need to
> STANDARDIZE THE FORMAT of the bloody config files (can someone say pmax?).

I only agree with this if the way you get there isn't by including
N files from an MI place to get those options.  People should be able
to read config files and figure out what's going on without having to
read N other files.


> Also, standardize what MI options go in the "support most things" kernel.

I disagree.

I'd argue that, despite the fact that, say, both adosfs and filecorefs
are MI file systems, the amiga doesn't need filecorefs and the ARM
doesn't need adosfs.  8-)


> We also need to make sure these things are kept up to date, and that the
> "support most things" kernel has *everything* listed in the "everything"
> kernel, with the appropriate things commented out, not "missing".

yes.  For the alpha, i used to do this with 'diff ALPHA GENERIC' |
grep for either '<' or '>' (i forget).



cgd
-- 
Chris Demetriou - cgd@netbsd.org - http://www.netbsd.org/People/Pages/cgd.html
Disclaimer: Not speaking for NetBSD, just expressing my own opinion.