>>>>> "BS" == Bill Studenmund writes:

 >> > As usual, when the kernel version gets bumped,. you really should >
 >> re-compile all lkm's.
 >> 
 >> Sorry, I should have been more specific.
 >> 
 >> I was thinking of a run-time (load time?) check to make sure that the
 >> module had been recompiled correctly.


 BS> I don't think we have that at present. We have versioning on the lkm
 BS> interface, but nothing in it indicates kernel version.

        So why  not  introduce LKM  versioning scheme  that  by default  will
        prevent  from loading  LKMs  with incompatible kernel  interface? And
        extend `modload' functionality,  for  example, with `-f'  option that
        will force loading on your own risk.. I think it would greatly reduce
        amount of unexpected kernel crashes.

        But I see the problem here: how will different LKMs co-exist. I think
        they  should  co-exists because software  vendors can  not follow the
        kernel development and update their code  so fast. Something like LKM
        wrapper would be  a solution.  For example, OSS  has such wrapper for
        Linux sound drivers due to Linux interfaces change rapidly.