On Wed, Oct 24, 2007 at 11:32:26AM +1000, Paul Wise wrote: > Interestingly, Fedora has a new policy that kernel module packages > must be merged with kernel.org or removed from Fedora:
> http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging/KernelModules > http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/DavidWoodhouse/KmodProposal > I don't think this would be an option for Debian, but it certainly is > a gutsy move. Very interesting. I'd say we should atleast consider it due to various points: Why we should follow Fedora ------------------ + Out of kernel modules tend to be low quality. Either they lack the strict kernel community review, or they have failed the review and thus are sticking outside the mainline kernel. Do we want to expose users to buggy drivers? In kernel space there is lots of potential for data-loss and security bugs. Not to mention general system instability. + Out of kernel modules and patches get rapidly out of date Everytime kernel team updates the kernel, a bunch of kernel-module and kernel-patch packages break and need updating. This is big maintainence headache, and litters the RC bug list count. + Out of kernel modules are harder to use Even with m-a, it's still an bunch of extra steps over normal apt-get install. + The effort used in maintaining out of kernel modules could be used in something else. For example in cleaning and helping the driver upstream to submit the driver upstream. Why not... ------------------ - Users will be unhappy with less "supported" hardware This may be deceptive. The users complaining that "ubuntu supported this hardware out of box" might have just left ubuntu due to stability problems. - Driver could be good, just the upstream is unjustfiedly refusing it Alternatively the Out-of-kernel module upstream might have whatever reasons why they want to keep their driver away from mainline. Not being a kernel developers, it might be hard to see if the module author or the kernel subsystem maintainer is right about the maturity/quality of the driver. In any case, this is more of a social than technical problem. maintining the driver out-of-free will merely allow to prolong the problem instead of solving it. The Exception to the rule: ------------------------- non-free kernel modules. - Not mainlineble - ever - Any quality problems will just be a practical demonstration to users of disadvantages of nonfree code. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
