When IBM made the PS/2 model 80 available to employees for about
USD8000, I can see the reason for building custom kernels. Today I can
buy 8GB or even 16GB or RAM for under USD100. So really neither memory
nor CPU power should be reasons for building a custom kernel. Add to
that the fact that a huge number of USB devices exist, so kernel modules
really do much of the I/O work that might have formerly been embedded in
the kernel. I don't think LPI sysadmin certification targets embedded
processor applications where I can see a possible reason to build a very
compact custom kernel. So I'd be interested to know what the real case
is for building a custom kernel in the space that LPI certification
targets. I've worked with Linux for about 25 years or so and I have
built kernels, but I'd probably fail your test if you wanted me to build
one in an interview.
I well remember working for IBM starting in 1973 and having to build
operating systems for particular machine configurations (DOS, OS/2,
CP/67 an VM/370). Then IBM introduced OCO (Object Code only) versions of
OS/2 (MVS). Suddenly you have a few hooks to write extensions or custom
pieces rather than having hundreds of custom pieces of source code that
had to be reintegrated and retested against the new OS source. I, for
one, don't have a great desire to step back nearly 50 years to do this
all over again.
Whatever level LPI decides to keep, I think that it should cover kernel
builds, kernel modules, and VMLINUZ together. You need all of them for
any real kernel operation. I'd be happy with awareness of the process,
but I'll listen to other viewpoints.
Ian Shields
Ian Shields
Please note new email address - [email protected]
On 7/17/2020 7:52 PM, Bradley D. Thornton wrote:
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On 7/15/2020 6:51 AM, Sergio Belkin wrote:
Hi community,
Please honestly, how many times in the last 5 years did you build a
new kernel? In the last 3 years ago? In the last 1 year? Please,
don't get me wrong, I think that is important conceptually **be
aware of** kernel building. But I think that in practice hardly
anyone builds a custom kernel.
Okay, certainly not a thousand; several hundred; and at least 30,
maybe 40; and in that order.
I know in practice people build kernels everyday and tote them around
with them.
Perhaps you're only considering the more general purpose distros with
support contracts? The kind that led me to completely eradicate RHCE
from our enterprise at Medata when they told us that a kernel compile
that we needed for our software would void our support contract?
Perhaps you're not considering Arch, Gentoo, Slackware, and many other
distros used on both the desktop and in the enterprise.
A mention? No, I think this is a core competency and it would take two
hands just to count the people I know who do kernel compiles each week
- - obviously, my circle of geeks seems different than yours, but the
suggestion that, "hardly anyone builds a custom kernel" is hardly,
even remotely accurate.
If someone comes to me interviewing for an admin job and they only
have a *concept* of a kernel compile or toolchain, I can assure you
that they only have a concept of a job.
Configuring and compiling a kernel has never not been a core
competency, and is also one of the things that has always set LPI
apart from silos that offer their own certs to suit their narrative of
what an engineer should have in their magic bag of Trix.
What do you think? I'd be glad to read your opinions and
experiences.
Thanks for asking, I'm really glad you did too :)
Kindest regards,
- --
Bradley D. Thornton
Manager Network Services
http://NorthTech.US
TEL: +1.310.421.8268
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