On Fri, Jun 02, 2006 at 01:58:45AM +0200, Henning Makholm wrote: > Scripsit Steve Langasek <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > On Thu, Jun 01, 2006 at 11:10:00PM +0200, Henning Makholm wrote: > > >> Don't _all_ new kernel packages require NEW processing because kernel > >> packages have the entire version string embedded in the package name > >> (for good and sound reasons)? > > > Kernel package names are only changed on ABI changes, of which new upstream > > versions are the majority. There is no reason why the 16th revision of > > 2.6.16 packages should necessarily require NEW processing. > > Hm, I see on further checking that the -2- in my currently installed > linux-image-2.6.16-2-k7 package is not actually the Debian revision. > > I (foolishly?) thought that the package name changed by default and > intentionally, such that on updates one could always keep the old > kernel installed until having verified that the new one could boot > correctly.
This is indeed a nice side-effect, but the primary goal is to ensure that after an ABI change, all out-of-tree modules are rebuilt, since they won't work anymore with the new kernel. In this aspect, it is similar of libraries embedding their sonames. Friendly, Sven Luther -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]