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Bug 101354 - gentoo-sources version naming for kernel confusing
Summary: gentoo-sources version naming for kernel confusing
Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX
Alias: None
Product: Gentoo Linux
Classification: Unclassified
Component: [OLD] Core system (show other bugs)
Hardware: All Linux
: High enhancement (vote)
Assignee: Gentoo Kernel Bug Wranglers and Kernel Maintainers
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
: 110798 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2005-08-04 10:02 UTC by Peter Hyman
Modified: 2005-10-29 13:10 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

See Also:
Package list:
Runtime testing required: ---


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Description Peter Hyman 2005-08-04 10:02:17 UTC
Current gentoo-sources is: 2.6.12-r6
Latest genpatches is: 2.6.12-10
Latest Kernel Patch is: 2.6.12.3

Looking at the sources version, it is not clear what kernel is being installed.
This is important esp. when there is a patch (Win4Lin, for example) that depends
on a particular kernel version.

I would wish for more consistent versioning that would match kernel versions
with gentoo-source versions and its patches.

(this could probably apply to all kernel sources ebuilds)

Reproducible: Always
Steps to Reproduce:
1. emerge gentoo-sources
2.
3.

Actual Results:  
Only by inspecting the contents of genpatches-X.X.X-X.base can you see which
kernel patche(s) are being applied. Here is a partial listing of
genpatches-2.6.12-10.base
2.6.12/0000_README
2.6.12/1001_linux-2.6.12.1.patch
2.6.12/1002_linux-2.6.12.2.patch
2.6.12/1003_linux-2.6.12.3.patch
2.6.12/1300_ppc64-multilib.patch
2.6.12/1340_sparc-obp64-naming.patch

Otherwise, there is no way of knowing. Even the kernel version in uname -a does
not reflect the actual version:Linux mars 2.6.12-gentoo-r6


Expected Results:  
versioning is implicit in gentoo-sources, eg:

gentoo-sources-2.6.12.3-r6
genpatches-base|extra-2.6.12.3
and have extra version in the kernel Makefile reflect the extra version properly
VERSION = 2
PATCHLEVEL = 6
SUBLEVEL = 12
EXTRAVERSION = .3-gentoo-r6
NAME=Woozy Numbat
Comment 1 Daniel Drake (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2005-08-04 11:16:03 UTC
Sorry, this is a hard one to solve. Naming gentoo-sources after the linux-stable
(2.6.x.y releases) doesn't really work, because although they are both based off
each other, our release schedules arent consistent.

Right now, gentoo-sources contains most/all of 2.6.12.4. 2.6.12.4 hasn't been
released yet, but when it does, there will (probably) be no need to do a new
release based on 2.6.12.4 because we have it all already. In your scheme, the
kernel would still be called 2.6.12.3-gentoo, even though it is effectively
2.6.12.4, which is (in my opinion) more confusing than it is already. (Try
telling a user that their 2.6.12.3 kernel is actually 2.6.12.4..?)

In terms of combatting this confusion, we already do a lot. Every change is
stated in the gentoo-sources ChangeLog, so its quite easy to see which
linux-stable release is included, if that really matters to you. There is a
dedicated genpatches website, so you don't even have to manually unpack the
tarball to see what is included. genpatches release announcements are sent to
the gentoo-kernel mailing list.

Plus, the linux-stable branch is quite light. If a patch (e.g. win4lin) states
that it is against 2.6.12.1, it will almost certainly work against 2.6.12,
2.6.12.1, 2.6.12.4, 2.6.12.7, etc...
Comment 2 Peter Hyman 2005-08-04 11:32:25 UTC
kinda figured that would be the response. You're _sometimes_ right about 3rd
party patches. It depends on which files are affected. I've seen failures in one
extra version bump sometimes, and other times, I could go well into the next
subversion with no problems! When you write: (Try telling a user that their
2.6.12.3 kernel is actually 2.6.12.4..?), I would respond that it's better than
not knowing what kernel you have at all! 2.6.12-gentoo-r6 has no reference point
either! Rev 6 when the extra version is only 3? Keep the suggestion in mind,
esp. wrt the Makefiles. I still think it's worthwhile to consider referencing
the actual kernel version somewhere!
Comment 3 Jeremy Huddleston (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2005-08-06 18:05:43 UTC
Peter: You do know what kernel you're using.  It's 2.6.12-gentoo-rX.  If you
want to know what patches are in it, check the patchset.  I think your
understanding of "actual kernel version" is a bit off target.
Comment 4 Peter Hyman 2005-08-07 02:51:54 UTC
That's our difference. I consider myself as using 2.6.12.3 for all purposes.
It's no big deal for me, but I thought I would pose the problem for
consideration. You considered. Disagreed. And that's the end of it. I merely
wanted to point out that for those who choose to use the gentoo sources vs. the
vanilla that the numbering scheme is confusing. That's all! Completely OT, I
find it curious that the vanilla sources from 2.6.11.12 onward are marked ~ at
this time!
Comment 5 Jakub Moc (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2005-10-29 11:39:34 UTC
*** Bug 110798 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 6 Stephen Leaf 2005-10-29 12:38:08 UTC
Ok, version scheme is confusing. however I can now see why it's done this way. 
lets say our current version is 2.6.13.3 
Gentoo already has all the patches for .4 included. 
now, do we release 2.6.13.4 and have the user install a duplicate version? 
 
Here are possible ideas: 
If there is a way to block 2 versions of the same program being installed even 
if they are slotted. it would be possible to make sure the user doesn't waste 
his/her time installing a duplicate version. 
 
Preinstall notice telling the user that this version is identical to that of 
the previous one. 
 
I do understand that this would be a little more work. however at the same time 
it's very nice to have that extra bit to quickly verify. I personally don't 
wanna read both kernel.org's changelog and gentoo's change log just to make 
sure that gentoo has included all the patches for the current kernel.org 
version. 
Call me lazy but hey having a life is nice :) 
Whatever you decided is fine, I understand now the why. 
Thank you for your time, consideration, and excellent work. 
Comment 7 Daniel Drake (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2005-10-29 13:10:44 UTC
The best bet for you would be to subscribe to gentoo-kernel@lists.gentoo.org

Automatic genpatches release announcements are sent there (including a list of
changes between versions). When you see one of these announcements, you can
expect a new gentoo-sources bump incorporating that genpatches release within a
few hours. That way you don't need to read any changelogs at all :)

The list is very low noise, there is rarely anything other than genpatches
release announcements posted there.