1.  Introduction

  Should you read this document? Well, see if you've got any of the
  following symptoms:

  ·  ``Arg! This wizzo-46.5.6 package says it needs kernel release
     2.8.193 and I still only have release 1.0.9!''

  ·  There's a device driver in one of the newer kernels that you just
     gotta have

  ·  You really have no idea at all how to compile a kernel

  ·  ``Is this stuff in the README really the whole story?''

  ·  You came, you tried, it didn't work

  ·  You need something to give to people who insist on asking you to
     install their kernels for them

  1.1.  Read this first! (I mean it)

  Some of the examples in this document assume that you have GNU tar,
  find, and xargs. These are quite standard; this should not cause
  problems. It is also assumed that you know your system's filesystem
  structure; if you don't, it is critical that you keep a written copy
  of the mount command's output during normal system operation (or a
  listing of /etc/fstab, if you can read it). This information is
  important, and does not change unless you repartition your disk, add a
  new one, reinstall your system, or something similar.


  The latest ``production'' kernel version at the time of this writing
  was 2.2.9, meaning that the references and examples correspond to that
  release. Even though I try to make this document as version-
  independent as possible, the kernel is constantly under development,
  so if you get a newer release, it will inevitably have some
  differences. Again, this should not cause major problems, but it may
  create some confusion.

  There are two versions of the linux kernel source, ``production'' and
  ``development.'' Production releases are the even-minor-numbered
  releases; 1.2.x was production, 2.0.x is production, as well as 2.2.x.
  These kernels are considered to be the most stable, bug-free versions
  available at the time of release. The development kernels (2.1.x,
  2.3.x, etc) are meant as testing kernels, for people willing to test
  out new and possibly very buggy kernels. You have been warned.

  1.2.  A word on style

  Text that looks like this is either something that appears on your
  screen, a filename, or something that can be directly typed in, such
  as a command, or options to a command (if you're looking at a plain-
  text file, it doesn't look any different). Commands and other input
  are frequently quoted (with ` '), which causes the following classic
  punctuation problem: if such an item appears at the end of a sentence
  in quotes, people often type a `.' along with the command, because the
  American quoting style says to put the period inside of the quotation
  marks. Even though common sense (and unfortunately, this assumes that
  the one with the ``common sense'' is used to the so-called American
  style of quotation) should tell one to strip off the punctuation
  first, many people simply do not remember, so I will place it outside
  the quotation marks in such cases. In other words, when indicating
  that you should type ``make config'' I would write `make config', not
  `make config.'

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