[oe] [PATCH, RFC] Add linux-libc-headers-native, make it default dep for native

[Tom Rini]

Frans Meulenbroeks wrote:
> 2010/6/7 Tom Rini <tom_rini at mentor.com>:
>> On some host distributions the provided linux kernel headers are too old
>> to compile utilities we need[1].  Given that we need these utilities to
>> run things on the target the best solution is to provide
>> linux-libc-headers-native.  Rather than get things into an inconsistent
>> state, we make linux-libc-headers-native be a default dependency.
>>
>> [1]: A prime example of this would be mtd-utils-native and UBI
> 
> I'd say this is heading in the totally wrong direction.
> 
> Target code should not depend on host headers.
> And if you need the target headers, you should depend on and use
> linux-libc-headers.
> 
> I guess mtd-utils-native is used to make an mtd image for the target
> and as such I would expect it to use the target headers.
> 
> What would be the difference between linux-libc-headers and
> linux-libc-headers-native in the first place?
> (and if there is a difference, I think a better package name would be
> linux-libc-headers-cross).

As Khem said, you're thinking in the wrong direction here.  Target stuff 
which needs the headers get the headers via linux-libc-headers.  The 
problem is runs on the host tools that generate things for the target.

> Btw if say mtd-utils-native needs kernel headers to access host
> functionality using headers for a different kernel version seems to be
> a no-no either.

mtd-utils is depending on OK to be exported by the kernel information to 
know how to make a UBI image.  And again, for the target this just works.

> PS: which distributions/distribution versions/kernel versions do have
> this problem?
> Ubuntu 8.04 (which has a 2.6.24 kernel) does not seem to exhibit this problem).

RHEL4.

-- 
Tom Rini
Mentor Graphics Corporation