[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Martin Mitchell) wrote on 06.01.98 in <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Kai Henningsen) writes: > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Martin Mitchell) wrote on 06.01.98 in > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > > > > > Stephen Zander <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > > > > > > Martin Mitchell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > > > > Ian Jackson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > > > > > Why does libc6 depend on kernel-header ? > > > > > > > > > > It's libc6-dev that has that dependency. > > > > > Perhaps weakening the dependency to Suggests might be the best > > > > > solution. > > > > > > > > No, you can't. Their are multiple header files that will be flat > > > > *broken* without a /usr/include/{linux,asm}. > > > > > > I know, however it would allow people to much more easily install and > > > maintain their own kernel sources for these includes. > > > > Which is why we shouldn't do that. Remember, we *DO NOT* want them to > > include their own kernel sources for these includes, because it is a *VERY > > BAD IDEA*. > > Rubbish, it's essential for almost all architectures except i386 and alpha, > that are not yet integrated with the main kernel source. Complete and utter bullshit. The "we really need specific headers" thing is true for _all_ architectures; the reasons are completely independant of architecture. Where to get those specific headers - that is, which patches to apply - might differ between architectures, but the principle is the same: /usr/doc/libc6-dev/FAQ.Debian.gz (this one is from the previous version): ----- Q1: Why does Debian provide kernel headers with the libc6-dev package instead of using the standard Linux convention of having symlinks to the currently installed kernel? A1: Manoj Srivastava explains why (this was originally for libc5, but is still valid for libc6): > From: Manoj Srivastava <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > The headers were included in libc5-dev after a rash of very > buggy alpha kernel releases (1.3.7* or something like that) that > proceeded to break compilations, etc. Kernel versions are changed > far more rapidly than libc is, and there are higer chances that > people install a custom kernel than they install custom libc. > > Add to that the fact that few programs really need the more > volatile elements of the header files (that is, things that really > change from kernel version to kernel version), [before you reject > this, consider: programs compiled on one kernel version usually work > on other kernels]. > > So, it makes sense that a set of headers be provided from a > known good kernel version, and that is sufficient for compiling most > programs, (it also makes the compile time environments for programs > on debian machines a well known one, easing the process of dealing > with problem reports), the few programs that really depend on cutting > edge kernel data structures may just use -I/usr/src/linux/include > (provided that kernel-headers or kernel-source exists on the system). > > libc5-deb is uploaded frequently enough that it never lags too > far behind the latest released kernel. > > I hope I was clear enough to answer your question. > > manoj ----- There's also a message from Linus somewhere which explicitely agrees with that point of view. MfG Kai -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .