Man page incomplete

rtobiasr · Jan 16, 2022

According to https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?bwn I am supposed to put stuff into my kernel configuration file. What kernel configuration file? Where is it? Once I find it, and put my stuff in there then how do I recompile the kernel?

grahamperrin · Jan 16, 2022

True: synopses such as these confuse people.

Instead of:

To compile this driver into the kernel, …

– imagine:

If you need to compile this driver into the kernel, …

Similarly, for:

To load the driver as a module at boot, …

– imagine the word If.

In simple terms:

if you use a standard installer for a RELEASE of FreeBSD, either the module will loan when required or the GENERIC kernel includes the compilation
it's not normal to require wireless networking at boot time.

That's not me SHOUTING

it's customary to use uppercase for those phrases.

Hint

At a command line, on the Mac:

kldstat | grep bwn

If it's listed, it's loaded.

Postscript: corrected a typo (kldstat, not kldtsat)

Erichans · Jan 16, 2022

rtobiasr, what would you do after reading this?

zirias@ · Jan 19, 2022

Really don't see what's missing here. If you want to compile a kernel, you'll read the corresponding chapter of the handbook and then KNOW where to put the configuration. It doesn't make sense to duplicate that documentation in every manpage.

If you don't want that, there's the simple alternative to just load the module.

Well, we could now talk about whether it would be better to mention the (probably much more common) loading of the module first.

SirDice · Jan 19, 2022

rtobiasr said:
What kernel configuration file? Where is it? Once I find it, and put my stuff in there then how do I recompile the kernel?

Handbook: Chapter 8. Configuring the FreeBSD Kernel

Traditionally, FreeBSD used a monolithic kernel. The kernel was one large program, supported a fixed list of devices, and in order to change the kernel’s behavior, one had to compile and then reboot into a new kernel.

Today, most of the functionality in the FreeBSD kernel is contained in modules which can be dynamically loaded and unloaded from the kernel as necessary. This allows the running kernel to adapt immediately to new hardware and for new functionality to be brought into the kernel. This is known as a modular kernel.

zirias@ · Jan 19, 2022

That's some weird wording btw. In operating systems architecture, the opposite of a monolithic kernel would be a microkernel. The key difference here is that everything that doesn't absolutely require the privileged CPU mode ("ring-0") is running in separate, unprivileged kernel services.

The modern FreeBSD kernel is modular, but it's still monolithic as well. That isn't something bad btw, microkernels never really took off as they have their own set of problems in practice. So, just a nitpick about wording...

rtobiasr · Jan 31, 2022

I was looking at:

bwn(4)

www.freebsd.org

In part, it says, "To compile this driver into the kernel, add the following lines to the kernel configuration file"

After searching, I found the answer, but guys, seriously... what kernel configuration file? Where is it? What do I do with it after I edit it? FreeBSD documentation team: Throw us a bone.

eternal_noob · Jan 31, 2022

Why another thread?