Re: SEUL: Auto-compilation/Is it possible ?

[Erik Walthinsen <omega@aracnet.com>]

> Is is possible to have a kind of 'point'n'click' function to get the 
> SEUL/Linux kernel 'auto-compiled' for the particular 
> machine/processor/RAM/etc. a particular user may have ?

It would almost be trivial, once the appropriate data is gathered for the 
system.  The system would run a completely modular kernel on install, then 
once it has figured things out it could schedule a true background kernel 
build.

First, the build:  A good way to do this would be to have a standard config 
that is completely modular, then apply diffs for the hardware in question.  
In other words, the standard config has, say, the 3c905 driver built as a 
module.  If the user has a 3c905, the build would have that built into the 
kernel.

In reality, only a few drivers would need to be built into the kernel, mostly 
ether and scsi drivers.  Everything else would stay modular, as modular 
kernels are generally considered '*the* way to go'.  The main reason to build 
a 'custom' kernel is to eliminate things that the user doesn't need, such as 
multiport cards, and change certain things, like the chip that's being built 
for (Pentium vs. 386 does improve performance some...).

Now to the scheduling for background build part:  As part of the admin 
backend, the system will be doing a lot of automatic things.  Some of these 
will be quite lengthy, which the user doesn't want to sit through.  Examples 
of these in the Doze* environment include booting, disk defrag, etc.  As we 
happen to have a *real* OS, we can do these in the background.

What could be done is to schedule a process (make zImage) with a really low 
priority (nice 20, or even better).  Some time after the admin backend starts 
learning usage patterns (yes, a little AI will do us a lot of good), it can 
start a kernel build.  Due to the nature of make, this can be stopped at any 
point and restarted later, assuming the clock retains it's setting.

Now the AI part...  Not really AI, more of a high-level record of who does 
what, when, etc.  Record when each user logs in and out, what kind of apps 
they use, etc.  This data will not be sent to a central repository, like an 
un-named Redmond-based company is rumored to have coded into their "OS".  
Rather, it will be used to allow the computer to function somewhat more 
usefully.  The current example is the building of a kernel.

Say our user has a certain schedule.  He gets up in the morning, resumes
(APM) his system and has it configured (via more pseudo-AI stuff) to connect
and retrieve mail at that time.  He goes and makes coffee, comes back and 
reads his mail.  He then logs out, suspends the box, and goes to work.

In this example, the admin backend would have gathered enough data (assuming 
a pattern develops) to know to *not* kick off the kernel build, or anything 
else that's scheduled for background, during this time.  The time it uses to 
start the build would be after dinner, around 7:00pm, when the user in 
question checks his mail, reads through usenet, and surfs a little.  Nice low 
utilization (except for Navigator) time that can be used without impacting 
the user.

OK, I may be crazy (in fact, I know I am), and this may be a stupid idea.  In 
that case, please break the news to me kindly.  If it's a good idea, be loud
and verbose in your praise...  8-)

(Muhahahahah! Hey, why the straightjacket? He.!.mmmfff! Mmmmfffmmff! ????)

TTYAL,
     Omega

        Erik Walthinsen - Programmer, webmaster, 3D artist, etc.   __
  __                                                              / /\
 /  \           omega@sequent.com         Work: (503)578-5314    / /  \
|    | M E G A  omega@aracnet.com         Home: (503)281-4281   / / /\ \
_\  /_          psu12113@odin.cc.pdx.edu  Majoring in CS       / / /\ \ \
                                                              / /_/__\ \ \
Omega Station: http://www.aracnet.com/~omega/                /________\ \ \
     Info on Linux, Graphics, Descent, Laptops, etc.         \___________\/


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