Re: A Kernel Configuration Tale of Woe

[Theodore Ts'o]

On Mon, Nov 25, 2002 at 12:33:18PM -0500, Dennis Grant wrote:
> For example, I want to be able to pick my motherboard model out of a
> list. I then want to be presented with a list of components that are
> options on that model on an ITEM basis (ie "gigabit ethernet
> controller" not "Broadcom FOOBAR73541") and then select the options
> that I have.

The major problem with this idea is the question: who will pay for
keeping this database of motherboard models, et. al, up to date?

If it is done purely on a voluntary basis, it will have huge gaps, and
then there will be people complaining about why the #!@$#@
configuration system doesn't list their motherboard.  Even Microsoft
hasn't attempted to do what you have described, and for good reason
--- new motherboards and new chipsets appear far too often for any
software product to be able to track this with any hope of success.

						- Ted