From owner-freebsd-hackers Sun Apr 4 7:30:58 1999 Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from pluto.ipass.net (pluto.ipass.net [198.79.53.5]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3EC5814F08 for ; Sun, 4 Apr 1999 07:30:53 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from mmercer@ipass.net) Received: from ipass.net (ts4-47-ppp.ipass.net [207.120.205.47]) by pluto.ipass.net (8.9.1a/8.9.1) with ESMTP id KAA14215 for ; Sun, 4 Apr 1999 10:28:54 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <370777B3.EF5C328@ipass.net> Date: Sun, 04 Apr 1999 10:31:15 -0400 From: "Michael E. Mercer" Reply-To: mmercer@ipass.net X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.5 [en] (X11; U; FreeBSD 4.0-CURRENT i386) X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Config file builder? References: <37070C34.1113084F@ipass.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG Hello all, I have gotten Greg Lehey's input on writing a curses-based program to build your kernel config file. Can I get your input as well? Thanks Michael Mercer mmercer@ipass.net >On Sunday, 4 April 1999 at 1:52:36 -0500, Michael E. Mercer wrote: >> Greg, >> >> I am sitting here toying around with the idea of writing >> a curses based kernel configuration tool, that when used >> will write your kernel configuration file for you. >> >> Is there already an existing tool to do this for you? > >For me personally? No. I don't know of any. > >> If not, what is the feasibility of writing one and keeping it up to >> date? > >It's feasible. I don't know if it's a good idea. It would certainly >be a lot of work keeping it up-to-date. > >> I was thinking about this because it would seem easier for newbies >> and others to get a custom kernel. > >Yes, it would seem easier. > >> Let me know your thoughts man. > >I personally don't think much of this kind of tool, though possibly >you could convince me of the contrary. My main concerns are: > >1. "Curses-based" makes it sound like an editor. We already have > editors, and I don't know if a new one wouldn't duplicate effort > and still not do what people want. > >2. I don't know how it would present the information more succinctly > or in a more easily understood manner than in the text. Sure, we > could tidy up, say, LINT, but to build a kernel config file you > have to understand the underlying concepts. I don't see how a > utility would help there. > >I'm not trying to discourage you, and it's quite possible that you can >prove me wrong. But I don't think the main effort will be in the >curses-based part, though that could be a challenge in itself, but in >the logic of building a config file in the first place. I'll >certainly answer any questions you may have, but you might like to >pass it past -hackers. I fear you won't get a very enthusiastic >reception. > >Greg >-- >See complete headers for address, home page and phone numbers >finger grog@lemis.com for PGP public key To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message