Re: port-xen/47200: Sorry state of xen in NetBSD

[jnemeth%victoria.tc.ca@localhost (John Nemeth)]

On Mar 4,  3:02am, Ephaeton%gmx.net@localhost wrote:
} >Number:         47200
} >Category:       port-xen
} >Synopsis:       Sorry state of xen in NetBSD
} >Responsible:    port-xen-maintainer
} >State:          open
} >Arrival-Date:   Fri Nov 16 14:55:01 +0000 2012
} >Originator:     Martin S. Weber
} >Release:        NetBSD 6.0_STABLE / pkgsrc-2012Q3
} >Environment:
}       
} System: NetBSD agamemnon.entropie.local 6.0_STABLE NetBSD 6.0_STABLE 
(GENERIC) #0: Mon Nov 12 20:11:14 EST 2012 
root@agamemnon.entropie.local:/space/obj/sys/arch/amd64/compile/GENERIC amd64
} Architecture: x86_64
} Machine: amd64
} >Description:
} The xen packages / port is in a very sorry state, release engineering wise.
} Given the (lack of) depth and state of its documentation, you might as well 
} think this is GNU software.

     This is rather inflamatory.  If you want people to pay attention,
you might want to tone it down a bit.

} - the port's homepage last two progress items were 2009 and 2012. Really?
} - the xen howto is so far out of date that it hurts just reading. 
}   Xentools20? Fabolous.
} - xen defines two competing interfaces, one supposedly ready to deprecate the
}   other (xm, xl). xm has a manpage. xl doesn't. xm has manpages for its config
}   file, and the per-domain config files. xl uses config files similarly. xm's
}   config files have manpages; xl's don't.

     xentools is third party software.  NetBSD isn't responsible for the
quality of documention supplied with third party software.

} - xl actually tries to use some very non-netbsd'ish paths 
(/usr/lib/var/xl...?)
     This is a known issue, and is being worked on.  It should be much
better with xentools42.

} - there is no single, simple step-by-step guide by netbsd that actually 
produces
}   working results.
} - the current NetBSD documentation doesn't explain NetBSD specifics at all.

     There aren't a lot.  Anyways, I didn't have any trouble setting up
Xen using NetBSD documentation.  However, I do agree that the Howto
needs work.  There is another PR for it.

} - NetBSD shouldn't rely on any bit of information from the xen homepage, as
}   the chaos over there is even worse than what NetBSD presents under port-xen
} 
} and then, it doesn't even work?

     Yes it does.  Xen is used with a number of NetBSD project servers,
and is used heavily in production by a number of developers.

} - it might actually reboot your hardware (it does this for me at times)

     This statement provides absolutely no useful information
whatsoever.

} - it might give your dom0 1 CPU no matter how many you've asked for

     NetBSD dom0 isn't SMP capable.

} - it can't properly communicate with itself (can't find console: ENOENT)

     User error.

} - its scripts are out of date?? (e.g. xen/scripts/vif-bridge checks its
}   state argument for 2 and 6 but actually gets called with 1 and 5)
} 
} How about some of the NetBSD/port-xen wizards just writes a step-by-step,
} no-extra-comments, this-is-what-works guide (i.e. shell-script style) and
} lets this get under the scrutiny of reality?
}       
} >How-To-Repeat:
} Try to install a linux domU under NetBSD-6.0_STABLE/amd64 dom0 with
} xen 4.1.3 from pkgsrc-2012Q3 without a Ph.D. in xenism. Fail. Pull hair 
} over documentation. Walk away or write PR.

     I managed to install a linux domU under a NetBSD dom0, and I don't
have a Ph.D.  It really isn't that difficult.

} >Fix:
}       
}       Xen wizards actually share their working setup scripts and 
configurations.
} 
}-- End of excerpt from Ephaeton%gmx.net@localhost