[ale] Basics of Linux lower level than distros

[jdp at algoloma.com (JD)]

On 02/07/2013 11:22 PM, Narahari 'n' Savitha wrote:
> What I mean is 
> 
> I am on Arch Linux and say I want to make my Creative Live Webcam work and it
> requires drivers to be compiled and some one on the web has the source code for
> the drivers or compiled libraries/modules for the Webcam.
> 
> Since Arch does not have a package or for that matter Ubuntu does not have a
> .deb file, how do I go about getting it installed on my box ?  What is the
> process to get 
> 
> a. source tar ball
> b. compile it to libs
> c. make a pkg a .deb or whatever Arch offers (if needed)
> d. install drivers
> e. kernel update needed or not etc.,
> 
> What I explained could be low level but I am sure Arch or Debian put together
> nice installers, but if there are no installers how can I put latest software etc.,
> 
> Another one is what does a MBR help you with and how does GRUB or syslinux
> really help or more imp like
> "I have Linux on another partition and windows on another".  Do I need to really
> re-install Linux or patch it up well so both OS's breathe again ?
> 
> These kind of fundamental questions is what I was planning to understand.
> 

Excellent idea for a topic - a lightning talk perhaps that someone can present
at ALE-NW on Tuesday?

Google found a few how-tos for drivers quickly.
http://www.tldp.org/LDP/lkmpg/2.6/html/c119.html

It would help if you understood C compilation and dependencies. Then all you
need to understand are the normal module loading, unloading, listing and
options.  It is just C code.

Only skimmed the link, seems to cover everything.

Just know that if you go this route, then you'll need to rebuild the module with
every new kernel.