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Ben Goodger wrote: > On 17/09/06, Neil Williams <linux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: >> Many packages don't respond well to large changes in optimisation flags. >> Some particularly intransigent Debian bugs have simply come down to not >> using certain flags. >> If you want this kind of system, use a distro that is designed with this >> in mind: Gentoo. >> > > I tried gentoo. I didn't like the fact that I had to configure ALSA by hand Configuring a pre-built ALSA is hard enough. I fully understand why you'd prefer not to go through that again. :-) > (impossible) and that I couldn't compile a kernel so it doesn't hang on > boot. Now, see, compiling a kernel used to be seen as some form of "right-of-passage" into GNU/Linux geekdom but it just isn't like that anymore. VERY few people need to recompile the kernel. Tweak the modules, certainly, rebuild the entire kernel from source? No thanks. I, for one, have never done it and have no intention of doing it. If you're thinking of working with hardware devices (like Robin) then, yes, it becomes essential. If not, leave well alone. > Basically I'd like to recompile things like firefox with specific > optimisations to improve a couple of packages' performance. See above: you'll need to be quite selective - both of packages and flags and the benefits may well be relatively minor. Performance is usually related to RAM (especially with firefox) first and then CPU speed/capacity. Moving to 64bit with lots of RAM is probably a much better solution. Remember, whichever packages you choose to rebuild are going to have to be rebuilt each time you upgrade from the main archive. Each time you come across a bug in any of the rebuilt packages, you are going to have to work out if your rebuild caused the bug before you report that bug. I've always thought that the "Gentoo way" is simply too much effort compared to any possible benefit. > However, if I can only do that by pratting about with make then I shan't > bother. For a few packages, you may get some benefit from rebuilding. For a system-wide implementation (as would have been indicated by a new function in apt-get), you would be better off with Gentoo. You seem to want a middle way - all I'm saying is that the differences are not going to be that large, IMHO. Optimisation flags are generally set using some form of change to configure or Makefile so you'll need some automake knowledge anyway. -- Neil Williams ============= http://www.data-freedom.org/ http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/
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