Improve Your GNU/Linux Experience With -mm Patches

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Improve Your GNU/Linux Experience With -mm Patches

Posted by timothy on Sunday September 21, 2003 @06:23AM from the mystical-promises dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Anyone interested in squeezing maximum performance out of their GNU/Linux operating system and willing to compile a new kernel will be interested in this KernelTrap article about Andrew Morton's -mm patchset. The patchset currently offers better stability and performance than the mainline 2.6.0-test kernel, as well as containing numerous functionality enhancements. Much of the additional functionality is described, as well as providing simple step by step installation instructions. Reading this article, one can certainly understand why Linux creator Linus Torvalds has chosen Andrew to soon become the 2.6 maintainer."

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this goes out to by sinserve · 2003-09-21 06:31 · Score: 0, Offtopic

All the straight, welcoming people.

P E A C E
What we need by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-21 06:43 · Score: 0

is linuxupdate.microsoft.com with Web-interface, automatic scanning capabilities and patch suggestion divided into three categories: (1) Critical, (2) Linux OS and (3) Drivers.
1. Re:What we need by burns210 · 2003-09-21 08:07 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  actually, except for the address, i think it would be a very good thing to have such easy updates available. Redhat does this, but only on a trial basis, if you want the full thing, you have to pay.
  
  Anyone interested in starting this project up?
2. Re:What we need by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-21 08:18 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Yeah, let's call it "deb and ian" or something like that.
3. Re:What we need by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-21 14:41 · Score: 1, Informative
  
  > actually, except for the address, i think it would be a very good thing to have such easy updates available. Redhat does this, but only on a trial basis, if you want the full thing, you have to pay.
  
  The "trial basis" is in name only; you "pay" for a renewal of a demo subscription (yeah, I know, dumb name) by filling out an innocuous survey every few months - they email you when you need to do one to keep the sub active. It's questions like "what Red Hat documentation do you consider strongly recommended" or "how did you hear about Red Hat?". A demo account doesn't have the same priority at the Red Hat servers as a paid account, so if there's a frenzy of updating clients, demo accounts will often have to wait a few days, or at least until off-peak hours.
Oh yes! by Kaladis+Nefarian · 2003-09-21 06:47 · Score: 4, Interesting

I've been using the -mm patchset since 2.5.4x and have been very happy with it. Since it includes the Interactivity patches from Con Kolivas it kicks ass on your desktop, too. Even moreso than the 2.4.x-ck series of patches, which are intended for desktop use. Do note however that it is sometimes more experimental in nature than the mainline kernel, since new functionality is often tested out there first.

If you know how to patch your kernel already, you don't need to read the article, get the patch for your kernel here: http://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/akpm /patches/2.6/

--
* Several monkeys are here, playing banjos and wearing small hats.
1. Re:Oh yes! by Kaladis+Nefarian · 2003-09-21 07:14 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Sorry, the Con Kolivas link should be kernel.kolivas.org, but you can find the patches on the other one ;-)
  
  --
  * Several monkeys are here, playing banjos and wearing small hats.
2. Re:Oh yes! by enodev · 2003-09-21 19:25 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  The interactivity tweaks have just gone mainline: http://linus.bkbits.net:8080/linux-2.5/cset@1.1320 .14.15?nav=index.html|ChangeSet@-1d
3. Re:Oh yes! by Kaladis+Nefarian · 2003-09-21 19:35 · Score: 1
  
  Excellent! This has been a long time coming. (btw the link doesn't work - bitkeeper doesn't keep any links the same for very long)
  
  --
  * Several monkeys are here, playing banjos and wearing small hats.
4. Re:Oh yes! by enodev · 2003-09-21 19:44 · Score: 1
  
  I know (you have to remove the new line), but do you know a consistent way to link bitkeeper changesets? They seem to change all the time.
5. Re:Oh yes! by Kaladis+Nefarian · 2003-09-21 20:44 · Score: 1
  
  There is no way currently, but Larry McVoy is working on it, apparently. He's the bitkeeper owner.
  
  --
  * Several monkeys are here, playing banjos and wearing small hats.
synaptics touchpad support by pbody · 2003-09-21 06:48 · Score: 2, Interesting

The mm patch is the only reason I use 2.6 on my laptop since it provides the synaptics touchpad support. Yes, I was able to use an external mouse without the patch, but the idea of not being able to use the built in touchpad was really annoying.
Does anyone know why touchpad support is not included in the default 2.6 tree?
1. Re:synaptics touchpad support by Dave2+Wickham · 2003-09-21 07:22 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Erm... Because it is?
  [dave@tc4 ~/linux-2.5.74]$ grep Synaptics drivers/input/mouse/Kconfig compatible. Support for Synaptics TouchPads is also included. For Synaptics TouchPad support in XFree86 you'll need this XFree86
  (standard 2.6.0-test5)
2. Re:synaptics touchpad support by Dave2+Wickham · 2003-09-21 09:16 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Oh yeah, and it's bad to reply to myself, but the touchpad essentially acts as a PS/2 mouse to anything which doesn't have special drivers.
3. Re:synaptics touchpad support by cpeterso · 2003-09-21 10:29 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  I was able to use my Dell laptop's touchpad with Linux 2.6.0-test4 without using the -mm tree or applying the new Synaptics driver from XFree86 people. Just add the following kernel boot parameter: psmouse_noext=1
  
  --
  cpeterso
4. Re:synaptics touchpad support by BubbleNOP · 2003-09-21 14:25 · Score: 1
  
  I used a Synactics Touchpad on a Dell laptop even back with 2.4 kernels without any problems.
5. Re:synaptics touchpad support by jrumney · 2003-09-21 21:58 · Score: 1
  
  My Synaptics touchpad works fine with 2.4 kernels. It is a PS/2 device for the basic functionality after all, and a gpm driver to take advantage of the advanced features has been available for years.
6. Re:synaptics touchpad support by datalife · 2003-09-22 06:19 · Score: 1
  
  What's the deal?
  
  There is a customizable touchpad-driver for X11 at
  http://www.tuxmobil.org/touchpad_driver.html
  
  All the goodies like horz/vert scrolling and third mousebutton (corner/double tab) are working great.
  
  --
  There are only 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary and those who don't.
The big distros by 00_NOP · 2003-09-21 06:56 · Score: 1

I suspect that when the big boys start shipping their 2.6 distros we'll have more to play with - do we wnat a pre-emptive kernel and so on.

I run 2.6 a bit and I am looking forward to that day...as the 2.6 maintainer I suppose we can expect Mr Morton to be plugging most of his bits into the mainline.
1. Re:The big distros by Kaladis+Nefarian · 2003-09-21 07:01 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Yes, most of his stuff will make it into mainline, and in fact most of the things which have been tested out in -mm have already made it into mainline (hence why the -mm patchset doesn't increase in size constantly). The more experimental things stay behind until they are acceptable, and then he pushes them to Linus. Works well :-)
  
  --
  * Several monkeys are here, playing banjos and wearing small hats.
2. Re:The big distros by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-21 07:28 · Score: 0
  
  "I suppose we can expect Mr Morton to be plugging most of his bits into the mainline."
  
  Hey! Morton ain't no queer. At least I don't think so...
Warning to XFS users by Kaladis+Nefarian · 2003-09-21 08:01 · Score: 5, Informative

2.6.0-test5-mm3 apparently has a bad snapshot of the XFS code in it. Here's the post from linux-kernel:

From: Steve Lord <lord at sgi dot com> To: Walt H <waltabbyh at comcast dot net> Cc: Linux Kernel <linux-kernel at vger dot kernel dot org>, Linux XFS Mailing List <linux-xfs at oss dot sgi dot com> On Sun, 2003-09-21 at 13:08, Walt H wrote: >> Just a follow-up to my earlier post: >> >> I've put in the xfs code from mm2 into the mm3 tree and all files get >> copied and I can manually copy the fstab.backup file afterward. I >> realized that the "rebuilding directory inode 256" was the lost+found >> directory, which contained 4 old zero length files. That was the key. >> XFS under -mm2 doesn't care about old lost+found directories, while -mm3 >> does. If I removed the source lost+found/ and retried rsync's with -mm3, >> it finishes fine and I can copy fstab files. Adding a bogus lost+found >> dir with any file in it at the source, and retrying the rsync will lead >> to a state where I can't overwrite the existing /etc/fstab file at the >> end. So it doesn't look like there's actually any filesystem corruption, >> just a strange bug. Hope that helps, >> >> -Walt >> If I am correct, test5-mm3 contains a bad version of the xfs code, there was a bug where the i_flags field was setup from an uninitialized stack variable. mm3 came out during the two days this was in Linus's tree. I had some very odd behavior with this code base, rm -r -f would try and cd into files and other bizzare things, files could appear to be immutable or append only or things they were not. This sounds like similar behavior you that you saw. It is fixed in the latest code Linus has. Steve
So XFS users should probably go with -mm2 for now.

--
* Several monkeys are here, playing banjos and wearing small hats.
1. Re:Warning to XFS users by rf0 · 2003-09-21 22:12 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  mm4 has a fix as I've just noticed from the Changelog
  
  Rus
  
  --
  Cheap UK and US VPS
Re:Tiresome by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-21 08:27 · Score: 1, Informative

Development. Series.

If you want stability you run 2.4, which is the stable kernel.
Re:Hmm by ion_ · 2003-09-21 08:28 · Score: 1

I thought Linux was open source and anyone could damn well do what they please with it.

You're right. That's exactly why e.g. Andrew Morton has been able to make his patchset for Linux.

What's stopping me from becoming the Linux 2.6 kernel maintainer?

Well, duh, "Linus Torvalds has chosen Andrew to soon become the 2.6 maintainer." :-)
The real way to improve your experience by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-21 11:00 · Score: 0

Is to upgrade to Microsoft Windows XP
feh by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-21 11:26 · Score: 0

The least the poster could have done is paid respect to what the article is actually called. And it doesn't have any "GNU" name hijacking in it.
Re:Hmm by joshsnow · 2003-09-21 11:46 · Score: 3, Funny

What's stopping me from becoming the Linux 2.6 kernel maintainer?

The fact that you keep trolling on Slashdot, perhaps?
Better than 2.6?? by smelroy · 2003-09-21 12:49 · Score: 3, Interesting

patchset currently offers better stability and performance than the mainline 2.6.0-test kernel So if these stability and performance patches are so great as the article says, why aren't they in the main kernel already? Does Linus just not like them??

--
Switching to Linux can be an adventure!
1. Re:Better than 2.6?? by gears5665 · 2003-09-21 16:35 · Score: 1, Informative
  
  My guess is you've never worked on a distributed coding project with over 500 active developers who you've never met face to face. :-P
  
  Its very hard to keep track of all of the things people want you to add to the kernel and make certain that the things you're adding aren't breaking anything, etc. So the linux kernel development process has a number of branches where things get tested first(in addition to the stable branches of the 2.0,2.2,2.4 kernels that need to be maintained). Its been going like this for years. Alan Cox has a branch(ac), Morton's branch is mm.
My experience with kernel patches by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-21 14:54 · Score: 3, Interesting

Also posted on OSNews:

I've tested the 2.6.0-test5 kernel with Con Kolivas' interactivity patch. I've also tested Con's 2.4.21 and 2.4.22 patches and so far nothing can match the gentoo-sources-2.4.20-r5-aavm patch for speed. (I'm using Mandrake 9.1 and GCC 3.3.1, BTW.) Just watching the init scripts running at bootup and how long XFree86 and Mozilla Firebird take to launch, there's no comparison. Considering that this patch uses Con's performance enhancements, I'm not too confident that it can do any better. But maybe I'll test it out and see what it can do.

If anyone is interested in a mini-howto on using the gentoo-sources patch, speak up and I'll try to whip something up.
1. Re:My experience with kernel patches by Kaladis+Nefarian · 2003-09-21 20:50 · Score: 1
  
  Got a link to these patches?
  
  --
  * Several monkeys are here, playing banjos and wearing small hats.
2. Re:My experience with kernel patches by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-22 00:20 · Score: 1, Informative
  
  The latest gentoo-sources patch for 2.4.20 can be downloaded here. Warning - really huge directory listing if you browse all the files.)
  Addon patches that update this one can be downloaded here.
  
  1. Decide if you want the aavm or rmap VM. If you want aa, delete the files ending in .rmap (and vice versa)
  2. I followed what the ebuild script does and deleteted the patches starting with 1, 6 and 8.
  3. Apply the addon patches in the order that they're listed in the ebuild script.
  4. Run your normal make menuconfig/xconfig and turn on the desired options like Preemptible Kernel and Low latency scheduling. I have Timer frequency (HZ) set to 200 since I only have a PII 450. Some people set it to 500 or 1000 for faster CPUs. I also use supermount and grsecurity.
  
  Some people like the gaming-sources for pure speed but fewer features. The pfeifer-sources are the most bleeding edge patches that eventually become gentoo-sources after testing. Read about the different patches here.
3. Re:My experience with kernel patches by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-22 00:31 · Score: 0
  
  Oops, step 3 should have been to run the addpatches script. It expects your kernel source to be at /usr/src/linux/.
  
  Also, r7 has the addon patches already so you shouldn't need them. I'm using r5, so I added them manually.
  
  BTW, the ebuilds are viewable here.
Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-21 14:58 · Score: 3, Informative

> Hmm.. I thought Linux was open source and anyone could damn well do what they please with it. What's stopping me from becoming the Linux 2.6 kernel maintainer?

Nothing at all is stopping you from becoming a 2.6 kernel maintainer, in the same way that Alan Cox, Dave Jones et al maintain well-respected 'unofficial', but important, variations on the 2.4 tree. You set up a 2.6 tree, incorporate patches that strike you as being particularly useful, and who knows? - others may feel the same, and your tree (and you!) get to the same point as a dj or mm tree.

No, yours won't be the 'official' (ie, the reference) 2.6 tree - just because you set up a 2.6 tree doesn't obligate Linus or his designated maintainer from accepting your patches - but neither can they/do they/would they prevent others from using your tree if they prove useful, and if your particular patch set does prove widely useful, you've got a good shot at getting them included in the main reference tree.

And, the more variations on a given kernel tree, the better. They're excellent labs for trying out things that the reference tree maintainers may not want to try just yet, and give good alternative kernel sources for those not up to such an ongoing project. So yes, I'd recommend you do exactly as you seem to be suggesting, and set up and maintain a 2.6 tree with whatever patch set you feel worthwhile.
Re:Tiresome by yanestra · 2003-09-21 18:28 · Score: 2, Funny

Development. Series.
If you want stability you run 2.4, which is the stable kernel.
It seems, most users nowadays have long years Windows experience and expect their machine crash every couple of hours. If it doesn't, they patch it till it does.
It's a satisfying feeling to see your machine crash with the highest performance possible.
Been done by SiMac · 2003-09-22 09:47 · Score: 1

It's called yum.

I use it on all of my machines. It works very nicely.
Re:Hmm by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-23 04:35 · Score: 0

I thought Linux was open source and anyone could damn well do what they please with it.

You're right. That's exactly why e.g. Andrew Morton has been able to make his patchset for Linux.

Actually, he's wrong. The GPL is based on copyright law, and as such prevents people from doing certain things with it (like using the code for a product and selling it without providing the source). Other licenses, such as the BSD license, do let you do whatever you damn well please.

What's stopping me from becoming the Linux 2.6 kernel maintainer?

Well, duh, "Linus Torvalds has chosen Andrew to soon become the 2.6 maintainer." :-)

While your answer is technically correct, I think the original poster needs more edification :)
Being the original author, Linus retains more rights than anyone else (this point is murky to me though, as there's been so many contributors at this point). Mainly, the Linux community chooses to follow his lead. If somebody else forked a kernel that the community loved and Linus hated, he couldn't stop them from maintaining the fork. So, go for it! :)

-Tim, the AC Poster Child