New Linux Configuration Tool

paul.dunne writes "Looks like we are finally well on the way to getting a replacement for the old Linux configuration tools. Details in a thread on the linux-kernel mailing list. Basically, Linus likes it; it's written in C, so there are no "language issues"; and feedback on the mailing list so far seems positive and constructive."

Comments

Whats good for linux is good for open source

[jormurgandr]

It's nice to see productive discussion (rather than the oh-so-common flame wars) taking place to the benefit of linux/open-source. Hopefully this will provide a much-needed improved configuration tool for linux, and will also demonstrate to the "closed-source" community just how beneficial open-source really is.

Re:Whats good for linux is good for open source

[GigsVT]

I think a lot of what may seem a flame war is actually productive discussion. The LKML has a really pretty nice way of having productive conversations that sometimes border on flame wars. Between Linus and Alan Cox, things usually seem to head in reasonable directions, even if they start out badly. Of course, any one message taken out of a thread may seem pretty bad, but it's important to follow the threads through to the end to get the whole picture.

Screen shots?

[Anonymous Coward]

Where's the screen shots? It is GUI, isn't it?

Re:just a kernel tool

[Unknown Lamer]

The title of the article is correct; remember that the kernel is Linux, and the OS is GNU/Linux. So this is a Linux configuration tool. So what you want is a universal GNU/Linux configuration tool (I know, I know, now you all hate me and want me to die). The problem with writing this universal tool is that every program uses a different configuration syntax, so you would have to write each sub-tool separately. Alternatively, all configuration done with the tool could be stored in a special format and translated to the real config format by a conversion program.

Re:just a kernel tool

[LinuxGeek8]

what linux needs is a universal way of configuring a linux system so that you can pick any disto you want without worrying about how hard will it be to configure.

If you don't mind, I'd like to say "NO".
I prefer it the way the Linux distro's do it now. Like Mandrake, which even recognises printers, and sets up xawtv for your tvcard during install. These are not kernel issues, but userspace issues. Most distro's ship nowadays with every driver as a module. If the installer detects everything, you should be fine.
There are just a few issues, where it would make sense. I really like the way FreeBSD handles network card drivers. It seems to detect them fine, and load the right driver. I'm not sure how it can be done, but it happens. That's something in kernel-space, and I hope it will get included in Linux too.

Who cares?

[LordNimon]

The Linux kernel still doesn't have a hardware detection/configuration, and probably won't get one for years at this rate. Building a kernel still requires you to know the manufacturer and model of every freakin' piece of silicon in your machine, this "new" utility doesn't make anything easier. How hard can it be to write a utility that scans /proc/pci and creates a kernel config file from it? Hello, Linus?!?!?! It's the 21st century! Wake up!

Re:Who cares?

[tubabeat]

Hmmm, but isn't this new tool a backend which permits new interfaces to kernel configuration to be built which interact with it?

Surely then, it is a logical step for someone (with __lots__ of time) to build a frontend which scans the machine's hardware and automatically makes the right choices? Perhaps even preventing configurations which would prevent the kernel from booting?

Re:Who cares?

[irc.goatse.cx troll]

Nice FUD.
I recently bought a USB HID mouse, and had to get it working in both Windows XP and Linux 2.4 (some version of gentoo).
Linux:
- Recompile kernel -- add usb and hid support.
- Reboot && pray
- Update gpm config to read from usb mouse instead of old ps2 mouse.
- Update X config, same.
- Update SVGALib config
- Add lines to X config to map the mousewheel and other buttons properly, and to get a decent sensitivity

Windows XP
- Plug in mouse. Wait aprrox. 3 seconds. It works.

The same is true with most hardware. and no, you don't need to know what hardware is installed in windows, because it will automaticly search microsofts site for the latest compatable drivers. What you said was true maybe 4 years ago, but much has changed.

I agree with the original poster that Linux needs something to automaticly detect hardware installed.
All you would have to do is parse dmesg and /proc/*, then feed the device info into a CGI script that will regexp match it and return the url for the download script. (I realise the insecurities in this, but signing everything should help)

Re:Who cares?

[LordNimon]

1) Distributions with hardware detection don't help if you need to add support for hardware that was created after the distribution was installed. What if I upgrade to a new network adapter that was just released? The "easiest" way way to add support for that hardware is download a new kernel with that driver and rebuild it. I can't just add the driver to my current installation.

2) If I upgrade to a new piece of hardware under Windows, that hardware will come with a floppy or CD-ROM that has the drivers on it. Windows drivers, but never Linux drivers. All I need to do is stick the disk in the driver, and Windows takes care of the rest. I don't need to know what kind of hardware it is.

3) If I install a new piece of hardware, Windows has the capability to go out to the Internet to look for a new driver. Linux will NEVER have that capability.

Look, I hate Windows as much as the next time. I don't use it, and I'm not going to, but I still think Linux could improve a great deal when it comes to the driver model.