On Wed, 21 Feb 2001, Mipam wrote:

> I am continuesly trying to make the compiled kernel smaller and
> smaller, but still there are things which i dont understand.
> for example:
> 
> pseudo-device pty
> 	      tb
> 	      md
> 	      vnd
> 
> perhaps someone can explain these or tell me where to rtfm about it?

As the other message indicated, there are manual pages for each of these. 

Another source of information is the "UNIX System Manager's Manual" or
SMM. One of its documents is titled "Building 4.4BSD Kernels with
Config" (SMM:2)"; it is an "In-depth discussions of the use and operation
of the config program, and how to build your very own Unix kernel."

It does not have all the relevant information and some of the information
is old; nevertheless it does give some interesting and useful details (but
not much about pseudo-devices).

But the NetBSD usr/share/doc/smm/02.config is empty. (I don't know
why; maybe because it is old and/or VAX specific?)

You may want to look at:
 http://www.geek-girl.com/bsd/smm/index.html
 http://docs.FreeBSD.org/44doc/

On a BSD/OS box, there is a similar file at /usr/share/doc/bsdi/config.n,
titled "Building Kernels on BSD/OS".

   Jeremy C. Reed
   http://www.reedmedia.net/