[ale] Modules

[Michael Hirsch]

Michael B Golden writes:
> 	Is there or will there ever be any way to just download a module
> and plug it in without having to recompile the kernel? Like, would I ever
> be able to instantly enable sound by downloading the module dropping it
> in, and rebooting? Basically, only using up as much disk space as the
> module requires (not requiring kernel source), and only as much time as
> downloading takes? 

In general this is possible.  That is the way the pcmcia stuff works,
for instance.  Also the alsa (?) sound drivers.  The commercial sound
drivers from 4-Front Technology, too.  Linux STREAMS support is added
in this way.

I don't know why you couldn't do it with any other module, but you
would need to find them packaged this way.  You do need the kernel
headers for this, I think.  I don't know how to get the source for
just the modules this way.  I think you can get all the source, then
only compile in, say, the sound directory if you only want a sound
module.

I'd like someone to build a site where you tell it what parts of the
kernel you need and it gives you just that part of the kernel tree.
There's an awful lot of the kernel that I don't use at all that could
be left out of my system--a more modular kernel source packaging
scheme would save me a lot of downloading time.

--Michael