Simple question - complicated answers

[IsomerX]

alex wrote:
>
> I believe I've had a misconception of the kernel...  Somehow  I had the 
> idea that the kernel existed in a single editable file.  What led me to 
> this was reading that the kernel was compilable so it must be a file of 
> some kind that was editable, something that looked like what's in 
> /boot/config.*.    This is why I kept asking for a specific location for 
> a file..
>
> QUOTE:(from above)
> Then we'd know if the OP:  2) wants to know where the kernel is stored, and/or related kernel files.     3) wants to know how the kernel works, a la block diagrams
>
>
>
> As for what I wanted to do --------I believe I clearly said that all I 
> wanted to do is see what the kernel looked like.  I had no
> intention of doing anything but study it.to get some idea of what it 
> did.   I still would like to examine the kernel.if this is possible.
>
> What aroused my curiosity about the kernel was reading about it in the 
> kernel websites..
>
> Perhaps I'm a bit too old to to work Linux......I'm 89.
>
> alex.
>   
The kernel is compiled.  It is compiled from source code, which is 
freely available to anyone who wants to download it.  The problem is 
this: though the kernel is compiled, it isn't compiled from a -single- 
source file, as is true for any large program.

Considering the number and size of the source files it is unlikely that 
you would gain any understanding of how it works from a cursory 
examination of the huge source collection, trust me I've been there ;-).

I would recommend going back through this thread looking for Bart 
Silverstrim's posts, or try this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Linux_kernel_diagram.png
as suggested in one of Andreas Gehrke's posts.

Cheers, and don't give up because there's a disconnect in the communication.

IsomerX