Bugzilla – Bug 340720
rename linux-kernel-headers
Last modified: 2009-12-14 13:45:02 UTC
A lot of newbies think that linux-kernel-headers are required for kernel module building and accordingly get confused when its version number is not the same as kernel-$yourFlavor and come up with blame on lkh.rpm. Suggestion to rename linux-kernel-headers to e.g. glibc-linux-headers.
Can you quantify "a lot"? Back it up by some references e.g. to mailing lists, IRC logs? Both Debian and Fedora use kernel-headers package name. It is explained in package description that these are userspace headers. Also, if we keep renaming the package all the time (it was kernel-headers before, linux-kernel-headers now), that will be troublesome too. Also, I can't think of any package name that wouldn't be less accurate than the current one (the kernel headers don't have anything to do with libc per se).
A lot := so much that it finally itched me to submit a bugreport I would have to start collecting statistics first, because forum posts and irclogs are recycled on a regular basis. Keep renaming: could have stuck to the original "lx_include" name. :-) Few people actually look at the package descriptions. Perhaps "linux-includes" would do?
Jul 08 2008, #suse 23:22 < dartelin> i'm trying to install vmware-workstation 23:22 < dartelin> and it need the kernel-headers 23:27 < dartelin> tacit, the kernel-headers are not the same version as the running kernel 23:28 < dartelin> running kernel is 2.6.25-9-0.2 and kernel-headers in the repo are version 2.6.25-8.1
Wrongly blaming kernel-headers: http://forums.opensuse.org/applications/388911-kernel-headers.html#post1836557 One does not need linux-kernel-headers for kernel modules: http://forums.opensuse.org/how-faq/386726-solution-how-intel-3945-b-g-wireless-conn-issues.html http://forums.opensuse.org/network-internet/wireless/388839-configuring-atheros-wireless-card-opensuse-11-x64.html http://forums.opensuse.org/network-internet/wireless/386427-madwifi-kmp-issues-11-0-a.html http://forums.opensuse.org/hardware/386736-need-some-help-re-alsa-sound-card.html Confusing the kernel-header mismatch with kernel-source: http://forums.opensuse.org/applications/387456-vmware-workstation-issue-compiling-module-suse-11-a.html http://forums.opensuse.org/applications/386419-opensuse-10-3-new-2-6-22-18-0-2-kernel-any-issues.html http://forums.opensuse.org/network-internet/wireless/387457-ipw-driver-live-cd.html Need more references? The forums are full of it.
http://forums.opensuse.org/applications/389705-kernel-version-mismatch-headers-source.html and #suse 20:54 < martman:#suse> im runing kernel 2.6.25.5-1.1-pae but my headers arelinux-2.6.25.9-0.2, is there a easy way to get them to match?
http://forums.opensuse.org/applications/392038-kernel-sources-virtualbox.html
Hey, don't let this bug time out.
Jan, this is a very soft-topic. I would suggest to let the package maintainer decide if this should get renamed or not. Maybe Petr got convinced already by your references. Petr, are the references provided by Jan enough to rethink a renaming? Or do you want to stay with linux-kernel-headers? (I see for both ways advantages and disadvantages - but it's up to Petr to decided)
ping ;)
Oops, stale NEEDINFO, sorry. :( I have nothing against a rename personally, but it's a change of existing practice and I think someone higher in our food chain should ack this. ;) Debian uses linux-libc6-dev, I think linux-glibc-dev would be fine name.
we do not have any -dev packages :) but now is a really a bad time to do such a change ;( I'm fine with linux-glibc-devel for 11.3 though.
So, 11.2 is past us... I have now committed the renamed package linux-glibc-devel in Base:System - Coolo, can you please advise how to propagate this to Factory, and when is it safe to remove linux-kernel-headers?
I think Dirk pushed it forward - and it can build safely, so we can later switch the project config once we see the expansion error because both packages provide the old name.
Ok, so marking this fixed.