DKMS packages (specifically open-vm-tools)

[Tim Gardner]

Craig Andrews wrote:
> I noticed in the most recent meeting minutes from
> http://ubuntuserver.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/server-team-20090623-meeting-minutes/
> that Ubuntu seems to becoming more accepting of DKMS packages.
> 
> At https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/open-vm-tools/+bug/277556
> there is an update to the open-vm-tools packaging which fixes a few bugs
> and adds DKMS building of the kernel modules.
> 
> Seeing as how a lot of people run Ubuntu on VMWare, and presently have to
> install the propriety version of the tools (and recompile them after each
> kernel upgrade), could the kernel team please review and eventually accept
> this updated packaging into Karmic?
> 
> Interestingly, I requested that this DKMS approach be taken in the Debian
> bug tracker at http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=516251 but
> the maintainer flat out rejected the request. I'm curious... is the use of
> DKMS going to become a major point of divergence between Ubuntu and
> Debian? (For example, is Debian going to start using DKMS for DRBD, for
> example?)
> 
> Thanks,
> ~Craig
> 
> 

As I see it, DKMS isn't really a kernel issue insofar as folks can build
external modules however they see fit. What DKMS _does_ provide with
respect to the kernel is ABI resiliency. I'm encouraging the use of DKMS
so I can reduce the amount of hate mail that I get every time the ABI is
changed. So far, I'd say its been a relative success.

rtg
-- 
Tim Gardner tim.gardner at canonical.com