A Brilliant Mind: SUSE's Kernel Guru Speaks

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A Brilliant Mind: SUSE's Kernel Guru Speaks

Posted by timothy on Thursday November 20, 2014 @08:03AM from the celebrities-are-the-ones-you-celebrate dept.

An anonymous reader writes The man who in every sense sits at the nerve centre of SUSE Linux has no airs about him. At 38, Vojtch Pavlík is disarmingly frank and often seems a bit embarrassed to talk about his achievements, which are many and varied. He is every bit a nerd, but can be candid, though precise. As director of SUSE Labs, it would be no exaggeration to call him the company's kernel guru. Both recent innovations that have come from SUSE — patching a live kernel, technology called kGraft, and creating a means for booting openSUSE on machines locked down with secure boot, have been his babies.

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Will it ever be the year of Linux on the Desktop? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 08:11 · Score: 0

It seems we are moving further and further from this..
Do you think systemd sucks? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 08:14 · Score: 0

Systemd, for or against? This is pretty important to the community here and probably the first question that needs to be asked before any others.
1. Re:Do you think systemd sucks? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 08:18 · Score: 0
  
  No no no.
  We need to ask him why he isn't female.
  We need more female kernel gurus at SuSE.
2. Re:Do you think systemd sucks? by houghi · 2014-11-20 09:51 · Score: 1
  
  It hasn't been called SuSE since a LONG time. It is SUSE or openSUSE. If you want to go oldscjool, just name it S.u.S.E.
  Naming it the wrong name is like calling somebody Bobby, because his mother called him that 20 years ago, instead of Roberst.. (And his mom calls him Robert as well)
  
  --
  Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
3. Re:Do you think systemd sucks? by walterbyrd · 2014-11-20 10:46 · Score: 1
  
  1) There are numerous technical reasons against systemd, and not one good reason for it.
  2) Admins are way more than users with a special password.
  3) It is way more than a few people who oppose systemd.
4. Re:Do you think systemd sucks? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 12:57 · Score: 0
  
  Ah yes: Another "fine reply", obviously from yet another USER with a better password ('admin' wusses), failures in computing that they are (not making it as coders, the real pros who make what those wannabes merely USE, nothing more).
5. Re:Do you think systemd sucks? by lucm · 2014-11-20 15:25 · Score: 1
  
  Bobby, is that you?
  
  --
  lucm, indeed.
6. Re:Do you think systemd sucks? by lucm · 2014-11-20 15:35 · Score: 1
  
  The only people against tools like systemd are the wannabes (network admins) who are nothing more than users with a better password (the real pros are coders who make tools for dolts like them, so they can actually function). Take away their puny little "knowledge" (an idiot can read some manuals and learn about IP + networking easily enough) with tools like systemd? These computing failure wannabes (network admins and their techs) fear for their livelyhoods. Yes, folks: It's TRULY that simple (+ yes, easy to see through).
  Of course the real pros are coders. And of course that's a tough job to learn. That's why Obama, Bill Gates and others are pouring billions in projects that aim at teaching coding to everyone in high school. Dodge ball in the morning, java in the afternoon. Soon we will have an entire nation of real pros.
  
  --
  lucm, indeed.
7. Re:Do you think systemd sucks? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 17:59 · Score: 0
  
  Actually, if you 'real pros' had gotten system design right in the first place, we wouldn't need to place your leaky sieves inside hypervisors, and without those, systemd would have little reason to exist!
8. Re:Do you think systemd sucks? by epyT-R · 2014-11-20 18:02 · Score: 1
  
  Not everyone.. just girls.
9. Re:Do you think systemd sucks? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-21 01:14 · Score: 0
  
  If you want so desperately to have a better password, install a system at your home instead of trolling in slashdot. And when your ocmputers breaks, what do you call, people with better passwords, or start using your washing machine to post in slashdot?
What does he think by just_another_sean · 2014-11-20 08:16 · Score: 5, Funny

What does he think about systemd?

--
Creationist Textbook Stickers Declared Unconstitutional by CowboyNeal
1. Re:What does he think by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 08:35 · Score: 0
  
  If he's as smart as they seem to say he will not answer that :)
2. Re:What does he think by Beat+The+Odds · 2014-11-20 08:58 · Score: 1
  
  What does he think about systemd?
  And emac vs vi...
3. Re:What does he think by lister+king+of+smeg · 2014-11-20 09:27 · Score: 1
  
  real hacker use
  $echo "" | cat > file
  or ed
  
  --
  ---Saying gnome 3 is better than windows 8 not so much a compliment as it is damning with light praise.
4. Re:What does he think by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 11:27 · Score: 0
  
  Why is piping to cat needed there?
  echo "1..." > file
  echo "2.." >> file
  works fine.
5. Re:What does he think by lucm · 2014-11-20 15:37 · Score: 1
  
  People who don't read Dilbert of XKCD are condemned to make the same jokes over and over.
  
  --
  lucm, indeed.
6. Re:What does he think by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 18:08 · Score: 0
  
  Why is piping to cat needed there?
  echo "1..." > file
  echo "2.." >> file
  works fine.
  a) cats are cute
  b) piping things through a cat makes them special. if it works for coffee, why not for echo?
7. Re:What does he think by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 22:06 · Score: 0
  
  Still fail. Don't complicate things.
patching a live kernel? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 08:20 · Score: 0

Is it nuts to think any kernel that has to be patched "live" is not a good kernel and has not been architected, tested properly or deployed correctly.
1. Re:patching a live kernel? by fnj · 2014-11-20 08:34 · Score: 1
  
  Is it nuts to think any kernel that can be patched "live" is not a good kernel and has not been architected, tested properly or deployed correctly.
  FTFY. And the answer is, yes, it is nuts. What's it like completely missing the point?
2. Re:patching a live kernel? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 08:45 · Score: 0
  
  I thought the point of live kernel patching was to have no downtime.
3. Re:patching a live kernel? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 09:02 · Score: 0
  
  I don't know about the nuts part, but swapping out kernels without rebooting has been around for quite some time. It was offered in a number of UNIXes, so exactly what made this a "recent" innovation?
4. Re:patching a live kernel? by cardpuncher · 2014-11-20 09:26 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Quite. Telephone exchanges have had live upgrades for decades - upgrading not only the code but the data structures while calls are in progress. What is "nuts" is to assume that systems *need* to be shut down for upgrades - that really is a failure of proper architecture.
5. Re:patching a live kernel? by omnichad · 2014-11-20 09:36 · Score: 1
  
  Security updates without a reboot is bad?
6. Re:patching a live kernel? by Maxwell · 2014-11-20 09:43 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Because x86 doesn't have the system management chip that Unix boxes (full disclosure, old AIX admin, last used 5.1L) have. x86 has the crappy bios and UEFI neither of which can manage the system. This also what allows hot cpu, hot ram upgrades etc. The AIX system chip is an OS unto itself, it will boot with no RAM or CPU on board.
7. Re:patching a live kernel? by red_dragon · 2014-11-20 14:06 · Score: 1
  
  What do you think ILO/ILOM, DRAC, RSA, etc. do on x86 servers? Those have their own CPU/storage/OS/network to manage the server remotely even if the main CPU gives out the magic smoke. A sysadmin can use it to wipe out and reinstall the server's OS and perform firmware upgrades without even walking into the server room.
  
  --
  In Soviet Russia, Jesus asks: "What Would You Do?"
8. Re:patching a live kernel? by lucm · 2014-11-20 15:48 · Score: 2
  
  Have you ever worked on a big AIX box? The only reason to walk into the server room for someone managing those machines is to hide from a coworker who had bean burritos for lunch.
  
  --
  lucm, indeed.
Re:Will it ever be the year of Linux on the Deskto by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 08:38 · Score: 0

The year of Linux on the desktop was with Ubuntu 4.10. The only Ubuntu that was good, adn that was more than 10 years ago already.
Re:Will it ever be the year of Linux on the Deskto by Bengie · 2014-11-20 08:46 · Score: 4, Interesting

Desktop users started taking over Linux and now we have SystemD. Be careful what you wish for.
Vojtech Pavlik is awesome :) by paskie · 2014-11-20 09:03 · Score: 5, Insightful

Vojtech brought me to SUSE Labs where I then worked on git and glibc for several years; since I did home office, we didn't meet that often but whenever we did, even because of something banal, it was a little awe inspiring for me. SUSE Labs is packed with brilliant people, but I always got the feel he's the smartest guy around. *And* at the same time it's a place that feels as un-corporate as possible in a corporation, I'm sure mostly thanks to his managing role.
So, I'm generally a bit sceptical about revering articles. But this one is spot on. When I think about it, I guess I still consider him one of my role models. :)
P.S.: Don't you guys feel kind of bored by the systemd spam under every Linux article too?

--
It's not the fall that kills you. It's the sudden stop at the end. -Douglas Adams
1. Re:Vojtech Pavlik is awesome :) by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 10:01 · Score: 0
  
  It's interesting to know that these kind of labs do still exist, tucked away in the bowels of a corporation like that.
  
  P.S.: Don't you guys feel kind of bored by the systemd spam under every Linux article too?
  No, they don't. But the decision has been made and it's time to move on. Accept it, fork it or move to something else but for god sake stop whining about it.
2. Re:Vojtech Pavlik is awesome :) by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 10:47 · Score: 0
  
  > stop whining about it
  nah, let 'em all whine in here.
  keeps 'em out of IRC, forums & ML's where people are getting productive work done with it, and prefer to be spared the "the sky is falling" droning ... when THAT fails, start a thread about a default button color, or something -- it'll keep 'em distracted for years!
3. Re: Vojtech Pavlik is awesome :) by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 15:13 · Score: 0
  
  Completely agreed that Vojtech is awesome. I have been very fortunate to work with him before and he both inspires and motivates those around him. SUSE is very fortunate to have him, as well as the other wonderful folks in SUSE Labs....they are all doing wonderful things which are helping the community and SUSE customers.
4. Re:Vojtech Pavlik is awesome :) by lucm · 2014-11-20 15:50 · Score: 1
  
  the decision has been made and it's time to move on. Accept it, fork it or move to something else but for god sake stop whining about it.
  I disagree with your statement. Let's fork this discussion.
  
  --
  lucm, indeed.
5. Re:Vojtech Pavlik is awesome :) by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 19:07 · Score: 0
  
  More smilies and a couple winkies please.
  Perhaps an LOL too?
  Look, I would be you have a lot of good stories to tell about SUSE and I'd even be interested to hear about your fairly awesome skills - sincerely.
  But I wouldn't read a word of it if it were so peppered with emoticons.
This is wrong by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 09:42 · Score: 0

What's happened to /. this isn't about Ubuntu or RedHat?
1. Re:This is wrong by aitikin · 2014-11-20 11:19 · Score: 1
  
  What's happened to /. this isn't about Ubuntu or RedHat?
  Seriously? Ubuntu? If you were here as long ago as you imply, you'd be asking about Debian or Slackware.
  
  --
  "Don't meddle in the affairs of a patent dragon, for thou art tasty and good with ketchup." ~ohcrapitssteve
2. Re:This is wrong by lucm · 2014-11-20 15:55 · Score: 1
  
  What's happened to /. this isn't about Ubuntu or RedHat?
  Seriously? Ubuntu? If you were here as long ago as you imply, you'd be asking about Debian or Slackware.
  Debian is for geezers. Real Slashdotters dig cool new distros, like Mandrake.
  
  --
  lucm, indeed.
3. Re:This is wrong by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 16:27 · Score: 0
  
  Bah, young punk:
  https://duckduckgo.com/l/?kh=-...
4. Re:This is wrong by ruir · 2014-11-21 01:16 · Score: 1
  
  Like Mandrake LOL ... funny.
Re:Will it ever be the year of Linux on the Deskto by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 10:23 · Score: 0

hmmm, +1
Re:Will it ever be the year of Linux on the Deskto by jones_supa · 2014-11-20 11:14 · Score: 1

Ubuntu 6.06 was my favorite. These days it's quite buggy distro. For example, on most laptops the brightness adjustment in Unity desktop goes in multiple steps as the backlight event has multiple listeners. Why don't they take care of such a simple and obvious thing?
What does Bennett say? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 11:29 · Score: 0

I can't really know what to think until frequent contributor Bennett weighs in.
Pinch to zoom? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 11:54 · Score: 0

Hey Poindexter. Get PINCH to Zoom working on the touchpad/browser one day, eh?
Who're you bullshitting? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 12:51 · Score: 0

Yourself?? "Numerous technical reasons"??? You didn't offer even 1, dolt! So much for THAT bullshit. You MUST be an "admin" (and yes, they're helpless DOLTS with a better password who only use tools REAL computer pros, coders, create for them to use). The only people opposing systemd are those same weak little wannabes known as admins, since it takes away yet another line of bullshit that makes "admins" appear to know something (and truth is, again, they're only users with a better password, nothing more). Fear of systemd is only fear for their jobs (useless fucks that they are).
1. Re:Who're you bullshitting? by pegdhcp · 2014-11-20 17:43 · Score: 1
  
  Unlike you I will express my views not behind the AC, you fucking moron... There are several reasons, most discussed in /. in detail, so one is expected to know at least some like losing control of clear text configuration details and losing access to clear text log files.
sick of openSUSE ignoring bug reports by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 16:34 · Score: 0

I've submitted several bug reports, with some including patches to fix the problem. They all get ignored for a very long time, if not forever. In the few cases they've actually been looked at, it's been 6+ months later.
Ubuntu quite buggy distro? by lippydude · 2014-11-20 16:34 · Score: 1

@jones_supa: "Ubuntu 6.06 was my favorite. These days it's quite buggy distro. For example, on most laptops the brightness adjustment in Unity desktop goes in multiple steps as the backlight event has multiple listeners. Why don't they take care of such a simple and obvious thing?"

Deciding from the inability of Unity to set the brightness on laptops, that Ubuntu as a whole is a buggy distro, is sure one huge leap. Did you try any of the online solutions for your backlight problem. Did you post to any of the forums. If so what was the response?
1. Re:Ubuntu quite buggy distro? by pegdhcp · 2014-11-20 17:39 · Score: 2
  
  If it is not in beta, users are not expected to file performance reports. Even in beta, this is optional.
Re:Nigger by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 17:55 · Score: 0

cockfag
Re:Name by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-20 18:52 · Score: 0

what's a nigger?
Re:Will it ever be the year of Linux on the Deskto by Barsteward · 2014-11-20 20:09 · Score: 1

Yawn...

--
"The hands that help are better far than lips that pray." - Robert Ingersoll (1833-1899)
Re:Will it ever be the year of Linux on the Deskto by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-21 01:57 · Score: 0

Desktop users aren't the problem. It's just Lennart Poettering doing to Linux what Hitler did to the Jews. You'd think after 2 world wars people would have learned by now: Never, ever trust a German.
Re:Will it ever be the year of Linux on the Deskto by coolsnowmen · 2014-11-21 03:24 · Score: 1

"Trust but verify" is the tag line around here.
Re: Will it ever be the year of Linux on the Deskt by Anonymous Coward · 2014-11-22 08:49 · Score: 0

-1 Godwin