On Nov 8,  8:42am, Jason wrote:

> Kevin Buettner wrote:
> > I may be doing my employer a disservice by saying this, but I almost
> > never use the kernel that comes with the distribution.  I usually
> > fetch the kernel sources and build it myself once the basic OS install
> > is done.  (Okay, so I do run the distribution supplied kernel for just
> > long enough to build a new kernel myself.)
> 
> Why would that be a disservice?

My employer is Red Hat.  For me to say that I rarely use the kernel
that they ship with the distribution might be interpreted by some as
having a lack of confidence in Red Hat's ability to build fast, solid
kernels or somesuch.  In actuality, I have a lot of confidence in
the folks that maintain the distribution kernels.  I've met some of
them and am most impressed.

> IMHO, using someone elses supplied kernel is a sign that one has not
> even begun to optimize one's system.

I agree with you.

I also build my own kernels for the following reasons:

 - force of habit; I've been building my own kernels ever since I
   started using linux in 1994.
 - access to the latest bleeding edge drivers and other features;
   e.g. I remember building many of the kernels in the 1.3.X series
   so I could use IP masquerading.  Even if you don't want bleeding
   edge stuff, chances are good that the latest "stable" kernel has
   a higher version number than what the vendor shipped.  (I suppose
   it's possible to do an RPM upgrade of the kernel, but I've never
   felt comfortable with this.)
 - running ``make xconfig'' and looking at the available options is 
   one way of keeping track of new stuff going into the kernel.