[Tommaso]

I apologise if this has already been posted, before, i didn't find it using search, but what does it mean to compile your kernel, and what does it accomplish. Is it like compiling some computer code?

[lakerdonald]

http://www.freeos.com/articles/2589/

[hamburger123]

compiling a kernel means that you're basically building the core of what a linux system runs on. Usually, you can compile a kernel to meet your specific purposes and to fit your specific hardware. There's my 2 cents

[Tommaso]

Alright, thanks guys. So basically, if you use yum to get the latest kernel, you won't need to go through all of that labor to compile your kernel, but at the same time you won't get the most recent kernel version. So basically everyone who compiles their kernel, is a super geek who needs the absolute latest versions of software

[lakerdonald]

Originally Posted by Tommaso

Alright, thanks guys. So basically, if you use yum to get the latest kernel, you won't need to go through all of that labor to comile your kernel, but at the same time you won't get the most recent kernel version. So basically everyone who compiles their kernel, is a super geek who needs the top of the software

Sorry, but no. Re-read that article.

[Tommaso]

Alright, fine. If you update your kernel, it is so that specific hardware will function, or so that specific bugs get fixed.

Did i get it right this time?

[lakerdonald]

Originally Posted by Tommaso

Alright, fine. If you update your kernel, it is so that specific hardware will function, or so that specific bugs get fixed.

Did i get it right this time?

Pretty much :P

[budman7]

Originally Posted by Tommaso

So basically everyone who compiles their kernel, is a super geek who needs the top of the software Smile

i would not call myself a super-geek, just a regular geek.

It takes me about 10-15 minutes to go through the the menuconfig,
45 minutes to an hour for my computer to compile and install it,
A few minutes to edit grub,
voila, new kernel.

After doing it a few times, it does not seem difficult anymore.
But when I first started, I didn't try distros where you had to compile it yourself. i.e Sourcemage