[gentoo-dev] New sys-kernel tree layout

[Daniel Robbins <drobbins@gentoo.org>]

Hi all,

We now have a new arrangement in Portage's sys-kernel tree. 
sys-kernel/linux-sources no longer exists, and has been replaced with
the following consistently-named selection of kernel source packages:

gentoo-sources:

The gentoo-sources ebuild is our replacement for our previous
linux-sources ebuild.  It contains a "custom" Gentoo Linux kernel source
tree, optimized for server performance and desktop responsiveness.  We
try to ensure that this kernel is very fast and stable and we recommend
this kernel for most people.  However, XFS support is no longer included
in this kernel.  If you use XFS, use sys-kernel/xfs-sources.

vanilla-sources:

The vanilla-sources ebuild installs a "mainline" kernel source tree,
giving you the exact same thing as if you downloaded a stock kernel from
kernel.org.  It will be handy for those who use stock kernel source tree
-- now you can merge this kernel, and have a kernel source tree
installed to /usr/src automatically.

usermode-sources:

This usermode-sources ebuild installs mainline sources that have been
patched to support user-mode Linux (a special technology that allows you
to run "Linux inside Linux.")

xfs-sources:

The xfs-sources ebuild installs sources that support XFS; specifically,
this ebuild contains a CVS snapshot of SGI's own XFS source tree.  In
the future, we may add other minor (and stable) performance-enhancing
patches as well.  We've found that using a SGI XFS CVS shapshot is the
best way to go if you're going to use the XFS filesystem.  If any of
your Gentoo Linux filesystems are XFS, then, you'll need to use this
kernel.

openmosix-sources:

The openmosix-sources ebuild installs a kernel source tree that has been
specially patched with support for the GPL openMosix clustering and
load- balancing technology.  For more info, see
http://www.openmosix.com.

I hope you find the new layout more intuitive.  All ebuilds work
similarly and will install a kernel source tree to a directory inside
/usr/src and will set the /usr/src/linux symlink to point to this
directory.  We also plan to add a greater selection of kernels in the
future -- even customized kernels from other distributions like Mandrake
and Red Hat.

Best Regards,

-- 
Daniel Robbins                                  <drobbins@gentoo.org>
Chief Architect/President                       http://www.gentoo.org 
Gentoo Technologies, Inc.