Messages in this thread |  | | Date | Fri, 25 May 2001 02:35:58 -0400 | From | "Eric S. Raymond" <> | Subject | Re: Configure.help entries wanted |
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Keith Owens <kaos@ocs.com.au>: > I claim my erudition prize (do I get steak knives with that?).
Results doubtful. Consult Magic 8-Ball again :-).
I'm going to critique these individually pour encourager les autres.
> +Disable IA-64 Virtual Hash Page Table > +CONFIG_DISABLE_VHPT > + The Virtual Hash Page Table (VHPT) enhances virtual address > + translation performance. Normally you want the VHPT active but you > + can select this option to disable the VHPT for debugging. If you're > + unsure, answer N.
Excellent! Second sentence a good example of motivation.
> +McKinley A-step specific code > +CONFIG_MCKINLEY_ASTEP_SPECIFIC > + Select this option to build a kernel for an IA64 McKinley system > + with any A-stepping CPU. > + > +McKinley A0/A1-step specific code > +CONFIG_MCKINLEY_A0_SPECIFIC > + Select this option to build a kernel for an IA64 McKinley system > + with an A0 or A1 stepping CPU.
Ah, now I could have written these. What I was hoping for was extra information analogous to what's in these:
Enable Itanium B-step specific code CONFIG_ITANIUM_BSTEP_SPECIFIC Select this option to build a kernel for an Itanium prototype system with a B-step CPU. You have a B-step CPU if the "revision" field in /proc/cpuinfo has a value in the range from 1 to 4.
Enable Itanium B0-step specific code CONFIG_ITANIUM_B0_SPECIFIC Select this option to build a kernel for an Itanium prototype system with a B0-step CPU. You have a B0-step CPU if the "revision" field in /proc/cpuinfo is 1.
Is there a value range in /proc/cpuinfo that tells you you have an A/A0 step?
> +IA64 compare-and-exchange bug checking > +CONFIG_IA64_DEBUG_CMPXCHG > + Selecting this option turns on bug checking for the IA64 > + compare-and-exchange instructions. This is slow! If you're unsure, > + select N. > + > +IA64 IRQ bug checking > +CONFIG_IA64_DEBUG_IRQ > + Selecting this option turns on bug checking for the IA64 irq_save and > + restore instructions. This is slow! If you're unsure, select N.
These would be much improved by some indication of what IA64 variants or mask steppings have these problems.
> +IA64 Early printk support > +CONFIG_IA64_EARLY_PRINTK > + Selecting this option uses the VGA screen for printk() output before > + the consoles are initialised. It is useful for debugging problems > + early in the boot process, but only if you have a VGA screen > + attached. If you're unsure, select N.
Good!
> +IA64 Print Hazards > +CONFIG_IA64_PRINT_HAZARDS > + Selecting this option prints more information for Illegal Dependency > + Faults, that is, for Read after Write, Write after Write or Write > + after Read violations. This option is ignored if you are compiling > + for an Itanium A step processor (CONFIG_ITANIUM_ASTEP_SPECIFIC). If > + you're unsure, select Y.
Excellent!
This is a fine start. -- <a href="http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/">Eric S. Raymond</a>
"If I must write the truth, I am disposed to avoid every assembly of bishops; for of no synod have I seen a profitable end, but rather an addition to than a diminution of evils; for the love of strife and the thirst for superiority are beyond the power of words to express." -- Father Gregory Nazianzen, 381 AD - 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/
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