lkml.org 
[lkml]   [2002]   [Aug]   [14]   [last100]   RSS Feed
Views: [more markup]  [less markup]  [headers]  [forward] 
 
Messages in this thread
/
DateWed, 14 Aug 2002 17:21:31 -0500
SubjectRe: [kbuild-devel] Get rid of shell based Config.in parsers?
FromPeter Samuelson <>
[Sam Ravnborg]
> Where comes the requirement that we shall keep the existing shell 
> based config parsers?

I don't make that argument - mconfig is the superior solution by far -
but it is certainly the path of least resistance.

As pertains to CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL and " (EXPERIMENTAL)", it *is*
possible to add such a feature to the shell-based parsers by changing
the syntax slightly - specifically to lose the '$' on dependencies.

Changing the syntax *does* have ramifications when it means adapting
three separate parsers, but it can be done.

> Remembering the CML2 war there were no serious objections about
> shifting away from shell based parsers (but certainly a lot about
> the alternative selected).

It would have been a big change and a big flag day, and among other
problems, the rulebase conversion issue was handled wrong.  Eric
refused to start from a 1-1 equivalent rulebase, preferring to tweak
the rulebase as he went along - partly just to fix bugs, partly to
show off his new capabilities.  Unfortunately, without the
apples-to-apples comparison, many people distrusted the new system,
superior though it was in many ways.

This is the primary lesson to be learned from CML2.  Anyone trying to
redesign a subsystem such as the kernel config system needs to keep it
in mind.  (Yes, I know from the rest of your message that you learned
it.)

Peter
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/

\
 
 \ /
  Last update: 2005-03-22 12:28    [from the cache]
©2003-2008