• 2004
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  • 06
  • Is Linux an infinite time sink? (Another evening disappears with no progress toward a useable desktop...)

Is Linux an infinite time sink? (Another evening disappears with no progress toward a useable desktop...)
Written by on in Snaking.


Actually, some serious regression...

Knowing that there were 4 or 5 security fixes needed for the Linux kernel, I booted into Gentoo to update. Actually, I booted in to see if Eric3 could create a UML diagram for Cinemon for Tim, but once that failed (well, once Tim's finger slipped and destroyed the layout) I decided to do the updates. That was the mistake there.

After 5 hours of work, I got the new kernel compiled (took two compiles, as I'd left out a particular module on the first compile), but something was messing up the Wacom tablet (the cursor gets stuck up in the upper right corner of the screen). The Radeon 7500 driver in the Kernel still isn't giving basic 3D accelleration.

Without the tablet the system is somewhat useless, so I'll have to switch back to the old kernel + old XFree86 config for now and diff the kernel and XFree86 configs to try to figure what's getting messed up. This so wasn't what I was intending to work on this evening. Anyway, got so sick of it that I just booted back to Win2K, leaving Linux in an unusable state.

Rest of the day was spent in UI bug-fixing, still focussing mainly on the data-import process. Tomorrow need to call Bryan and discuss the demo, work on integrating the ping-scanner graphic as the front page, and then go to the management meeting.

Comments

  1. Waldemar Osuch

    Waldemar Osuch on 07/07/2004 8:43 p.m. #


    I'm also a Windows refugee in Linux land and I also have chosen Gentoo as my distribution so I thougt I will share a time saving tip for kernel recompiling.<br />
    You may know this already but I will write it anyway.<br />
    If you have a working .config from the previous kernel you may copy it to the new kernel's source directory and do:<br />
    make oldconfig<br />
    At that time you will have to answer questions related to new features only.<br />
    After that one can do the usual:<br />
    make menuconfig<br />
    and confirm your options are OK.<br />
    <br />

  2. Mike Fletcher

    Mike Fletcher on 07/11/2004 11:47 p.m. #


    Thanks for the tip. Gentoo actually stores the .config files somewhere, I think under /etc somewhere (though I take my own copies as well). Haven't been back to Linux yet, but I suppose I should dive back in again soon.

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