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A different new Linux configuration scheme
One would think that, after Eric Raymond's experience with trying to
overhaul the kernel configuration scheme, nobody else would want to venture
into that area for a long time. One would be wrong, however; Roman Zippel
has been working on his "LinuxKernelConf" package for some time, and has
recently posted version 0.8, with a
statement that it is ready for inclusion.
LinuxKernelConf, like the ill-fated CML2 effort, defines a new configuration language (specification) and creates a single parser that can be used by all configuration interfaces. The new language is purely declarative, unlike the old one, which was really an imperative programming language. A configuration file (there are now many, spread throughout the source tree) contains declarations for the various configuration options, including all the relevant information in one place. A typical entry looks something like this:
config NETFILTER_DEBUG
bool "Network packet filtering debugging"
depends NETFILTER
help
You can say Y here if you want to get additional
messages useful in debugging the netfilter code.
![[Qconf]](http://old.lwn.net/images/ns/qconf-sm.png)
Note that, among other things, this scheme includes the help information with the rest of the configuration details. Unlike CML2, Mr. Zippel's scheme avoids fancier scripting languages and works with basic tools. That will help to avoid one set of flame wars. LinuxKernelConf may well stumble over a different obstacle, however: the (quite nice) graphical configuration tool is built on Qt. That is, in fact, the source of Linus's biggest concern about this patch:
But the fact that xconfig depends on QT is going to make some
people hate it.... In other words, I really think this needs to
pass the linux-kernel stink test. Will Al Viro rip your throat out?
Will it generate more positive feedback than death threats?
In fact, there have been very few death threats so far, perhaps because not too many people have looked at the code. Regardless of the level of promised violence, however, it looks like LinuxKernelConf may be merged with some evasive action: the graphical interface will simply be omitted. The kernel will thus ship with the basic configuration language; anybody who wants to use a graphical tool will need to obtain and install it separately. One a few other, smaller issues are resolved, it looks like Linus may go ahead and merge this patch. (Log in to post comments)
Qt Posted Oct 11, 2002 16:58 UTC (Fri) by torsten (guest, #4137) [Link] Oh No!While I consider gtk indispensible due to it's independent nature. Pretty much all non-integrated-desktop apps use gtk. Qt, OTOH, is intrinsically tied to KDE. I don't even have Qt installed, as I don't use KDE. In fact, someone will have to create a gtk version in order for me to consider it. Preferably, a ncurses interface is better, since that's what I use now, and for remote configuration.
Qt Posted Oct 12, 2002 13:45 UTC (Sat) by veelo (guest, #4694) [Link] > Qt, OTOH, is intrinsically tied to KDE.No, KDE is intrinsically tied to Qt, not the other way around.
Qt Posted Oct 17, 2002 11:04 UTC (Thu) by job (subscriber, #670) [Link] Qt is not tied to KDE at all. Plus the new ncurses interface looks much like the old one, so there's no need to worry.
A different new Linux configuration scheme Posted Oct 18, 2002 15:22 UTC (Fri) by Baylink (subscriber, #755) [Link] They're a real pain in the fundament sometimes...but thank ghod for ideologues.
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