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CML2 Coming in Kernel 2.5
MrHat writes: "Eric S. Raymond's CML2, or 'Configuration Menu Language' -- part of the next-generation Linux kernel build system -- is now officially ready for 2.5. CML2 includes a compiler for a domain-specific configuration language, used to configure kernel subsystems and resolve dependencies between them. CML2 and Linux 2.5 will 'ship' with several different configuration interfaces, including an adventure game, whipped up by ESR during an extended flight. The story from the horse's mouth (or LKML, if you prefer):'This release resolves all known logic bugs and rulebase problems. The only things left on the to-do list are convenience features and some minor improvements in the test/coverage tools. This code is now officially ready for the 2.5 fork.'"
It's good to see some high profile hackers putting their minds to making GNU/Linux easier for people. This language should make it easier for hackers to fiddle with their kernel, and to get into kernel hacking, which is a great thing considering how daunting a challenge it is at the moment. It will also help people who have been playing with GNU/Linux for a short while start setting their systems up properly, instead of running on a hastily preconfigured kernel that came from their distribution installer.
It was promising then to see ESR say that he wanted this language to help GNU/Linux newbies. There's been a lot of good work recently on making the first steps more accessible, but there's been little progress in helping people who have completed the first challenge and who then want to get their OS running smoothly.
Yet even with that "archaicness" I find kernel configuration in BSD to be easier. This isn't because I'm a canonical GUI-hating Unix guy; it's probably because I'm not. XConfig and particularly MenuConfig are excruciatingly tedious compared to opening your own kernel configuration file in one window in a text editor and the LINT file in the other. My FreeBSD configuration generally is a matter of commenting out a bunch of lines (mostly SCSI stuff) and adding two at the bottom for my sound card.
/etc/rc.conf file changes or overrides many things that Linux distributions tend to scatter around the system (often in places that change from distribution to distribution, no less).
I've honestly been very impressed with how logical the BSD configuration "system" is; it's not pretty but it's straightforward and easy to make changes to. The