[Meego-kernel] About kernel-headers package in Meego (V4L2 subdev/Media Controller)

[Arjan van de Ven]

On 12/21/2010 7:16 AM, Sakari Ailus wrote:
> - Make headers part of the source packages and include them locally.
> This is a very ugly hack. Every time a kernel header changes it has to
> be copied to each and every source package which uses it. Modifications
> may also be required to source code and / or Makefile(s).
>
> - Create new package for the changed (or new) platform kernel headers
> only. This was already suggested. I think this is definitely a better
> option than the above. (I'm not sure if RPM allows replacing files which
> are part of a different package.)

I actually prefer the former; the reason is that the damage is then 
very  self contained, and the person/package doing
this KNOWS they are using an unofficial API... and they are the ones who 
get to deal with all the fallout...
..... but the unofficial-will-be-changing API/ABI is not exposed to 
anybody else; specifically, it's the solution
where it's impossible to start using these interfaces by accident 
(because the headers are on the system).


now that we have different kernels for different platforms, and we have 
a reference kernel (with *the* API/ABI) which the TSG
dictated must be close to the upstream kernel (with "few patches"; in 
which I won't want to see any ABI/API additions)......
.... I think this is the way to go. The application(s) that use these 
private headers are by definition platform/device specific at that point 
anyway.