David Brownlee writes:
> 	egcs with -O2 really tries hard to optimise the kernel.
> http://www.netbsd.org/Documentation/kernel/index.html#kernel-compile-slow
> 	suggests using "make COPTS=-O" to save time, though it may make
> 	most sense to find an old pentium or even 486 on which you can
> 	compile :)
> 
> 		David/absolute
> 
> 	"Its just another ultimate battle of good against evil..."

Hey wait a minute!  Now we'll be telling the VAX guys to compile on a
pentium or 486 also.  IMHO rebuilding your kernel on a machine has
been "proof" that it is up and working.  A lot like the "Hello, World"
in your language of the moment.  While we don't want to spend a lot
of resources squeezing every last drop out of a 386SX, it wouldn't be
bad to have a GENERIC_SMALL, similar to GENERIC_TINY, but with SCSI
or WSCONS, etc.  Something "useful" for > 4MB other than GENERIC_TINY.
Also, more details along with the above mentioned option, such as a
suggestion to build in single-user, or whatever tweaks are available.

I've often wished for more kernel configs for NetBSD/i386 like these
imaginary ones:
	GENERIC_ISA
	GENERIC_EISA  (might include GENERIC_ISA?)
	GENERIC_PCI   (might include GENERIC_ISA?)
	GENERIC_PCMCIA 
	DISKLESS_ISA
	DISKLESS_EISA
	DISKLESS_PCI
	DISKLESS_PCMCIA
	WHATEVER_WHICHEVER

Presumably these would be suitable for most machines, still requiring
some tweaks to remove completely unnecessary things for a specific
machine.  I get tired of hacking GENERIC to remove all of PCI/PCMCIA, etc
for an old 486 EISA box.  And I get tired of hacking out all of the EISA
and PCMCIA bits out for my highspeed Celeron box.

Then I start thinking about how having seperate files for these
various options, and just including them.  Of course that leads me
to think about how confusing it would get. :-)

Ultimately it is too much to ask the developers to manage so many
configuration files.  Thus, someone really needs to get a kernel config
file generator back online.. :-)

And, if a kernel build service actually was available, we wouldn't
even be discussing this.. :)  I don't have a decent 'net connection from
home, or I would be offering this already.

I can still build kernels manually for someone if they need one.
(i386 1.4.1 or -current ELF easily, VAX or Next68k (and other m68k?) with 
crosscompilers, and alpha -current with time. :)


-Andrew
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Andrew Gillham                            | This space left blank
gillham@whirlpool.com                     | inadvertently.
I speak for myself, not for my employer.  | Contact the publisher.