For me, distributing binaries would be a significant hassle.  It is  complicated because some features can only be selected at compile  time, and because the modules are somewhat dependent on having the  ``right'' kernel configuration.  So, I would probably need to  distribute precompiled modules along with matching kernels.  Beyond  this, the greatest need for precompiled modules is when installing  Linux on a clean system.  This typically requires setting up drivers  so they can be used in the installation process for a particular Linux  distribution.  Each Linux distribution has its own ideosyncracies, and  it is not feasible for me to provide boot and root disks for even just  the common combinations of drivers and distributions.  PCMCIA support is included in virtually all modern Linux  distributions,  11..99..  WWhhyy iiss tthhee ppaacckkaaggee ssoo ddaarrnneedd bbiigg??  Well, first of all, it isn't actually that large.  Most of the package  consists of drivers for specific cards.  The utility programs add up  to about 200K, and the scripts in /etc/pcmcia are about 130K.  The  core driver modules take up about 60K of system memory.  The cardmgr  daemon will generally be swapped out except when cards are inserted or  removed.  The total package size is comparable to DOS/Windows Card  Services implementations.  Compared to DOS ``point enablers'', this may still seem like a lot of  overhead, especially for people that don't plan on using many of the  features of PCMCIA, such as power management or hot swapping.  Point  enablers can be tiny because they generally support only one or a  small set of cards, and also generally support a restricted set of  host controllers.  If someone were to write a genuinely ``generic''  modem enabler, it would end up incorporating much of the functionality  of Card Services, to handle cards from different vendors and the full  range of host controller variants.  22..  CCoommppiillaattiioonn aanndd iinnssttaallllaattiioonn  22..11..  PPrreerreeqquuiissiitteess aanndd kkeerrnneell sseettuupp  Before starting, you should think about whether you really need to  compile the PCMCIA package yourself.  All common Linux distributions  come with pre-compiled driver packages.  Generally, you only need to  install the drivers from scratch if you need a new feature of the  current drivers, or if you've updated and/or reconfigured your kernel  in a way that is incompatible with the drivers included with your  Linux distribution.  While compiling the package is not technically  difficult, it does require some general Linux familiarity.  The following things should be installed on your system before you  begin:  +o  A 2.0, 2.2, or 2.4 series kernel source tree.  +o  An appropriate set of module utilities.  +o  (Optional) the ``XForms'' X11 user interface toolkit.  You need to have a complete linux source tree for your kernel, not  just an up-to-date kernel image.  The driver modules contain some  references to kernel source files.  While you may want to build a new  kernel to remove unnecessary drivers, installing PCMCIA does not  require you to do so.  Current ``stable'' kernel sources and patches are available from  <ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.4>.  Current module  utilities can be found in the same locations.  In the Linux kernel source tree, the Documentation/Changes file  describes the versions of all sorts of other system components that  are required for that kernel release.  You may want to check through  this and verify that your system is up to date, especially if you have  updated your kernel.  If you are using a development kernel, be sure  that you are using the right combination of shared libraries and  module tools.  When configuring your kernel, if you plan on using a PCMCIA ethernet  card, you should turn on networking support but turn off the normal  Linux network card drivers, including the ``pocket and portable  adapters''.  The PCMCIA network card drivers are all implemented as  loadable modules.  Any drivers compiled into your kernel will only  waste space.  If you want to use SLIP, PPP, or PLIP, you do need to either configure  your kernel with these enabled, or use the loadable module versions of  these drivers.  There is an unfortunate deficiency in the kernel  config process in 1.2.X kernels, in that it is not possible to set  configuration options (like SLIP compression) for a loadable module,  so it is probably better to just link SLIP into the kernel if you need  it.  In order to use a PCMCIA token ring adapter, your kernel should be  configured with ``Token Ring driver support'' (CONFIG_TR) enabled,  though you should leave CONFIG_IBMTR off.  If you want to use a PCMCIA IDE adapter, your kernel should be  configured with CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE_PCMCIA enabled, for 2.0.*  through  2.1.7 kernels.  Older kernels do not support removeable IDE devices;  newer kernels do not require a special configuration setting.  If you will be using a PCMCIA SCSI adapter, then enable CONFIG_SCSI  when configuring your kernel.  Also, enable any top level drivers  (SCSI disk, tape, cdrom, generic) that you expect to use.  All low-  level drivers for particular host adapters should be disabled, as they  will just take up space.  This package includes an X-based card status utility called cardinfo.  This utility is based on a freely distributed user interface toolkit  called the XForms Library.  This library is available as a separate  package with most Linux distributions.  If you would like to build  cardinfo, you should install XForms and all the normal X header files  and libraries before configuring the PCMCIA package.  This tool is  completely optional.  22..22..  IInnssttaallllaattiioonn  Here is a synopsis of the installation process:  +o  Unpack pcmcia-cs-3.1.?.tar.gz in /usr/src.  +o  Run ``make config'' in the new pcmcia-cs-3.1.? directory.  +o  Run ``make all'', then ``make install''.  +o  Customize the startup script and the option files in /etc/pcmcia     for your site, if needed.  If you plan to install any contributed client drivers not included in  the core PCMCIA distribution, unpack each of them in the top-level  directory of the PCMCIA source tree.  Then follow the normal build  instructions.  The extra drivers will be compiled and installed  automatically.  Running ``make config'' prompts for a few configuration options, and  checks out your system to verify that it satisfies all prerequisites  for installing PCMCIA support.  In most cases, you'll be able to just  accept all the default configuration options.  Be sure to carefully  check the output of this command in case there are problems.  The  following options are available:     LLiinnuuxx kkeerrnneell ssoouurrccee ddiirreeccttoorryy??        This is the location of the source tree for the kernel you want        to use with PCMCIA.  Often this is /usr/src/linux, but the        default location depends on what Linux distribution you're using        (or on where you've chosen to place your kernel source tree).     BBuuiilldd ''ttrruussttiinngg'' vveerrssiioonnss ooff ccaarrdd uuttiilliittiieess??        Some of the support utilities (cardctl and cardinfo) can be        compiled either in ``safe'' or ``trusting'' forms.  The ``safe''        forms prevent non-root users from modifying card configurations.        The ``trusting'' forms permit ordinary users to issue commands        to suspend and resume cards, reset cards, and change the current        configuration scheme.  The default is to build the safe forms.     IInncclluuddee 3322--bbiitt ((CCaarrddBBuuss)) ccaarrdd ssuuppppoorrtt??        This option must be selected if you wish to use 32-bit CardBus        cards.  It is not required for CardBus bridge support, if you        only plan to use 16-bit PC Cards.     IInncclluuddee PPnnPP BBIIOOSS rreessoouurrccee cchheecckkiinngg??        This builds additional code into the PCMCIA core module to        communicate with a system's PnP BIOS to obtain resource        information for built-in ``motherboard'' devices (serial and        parallel ports, sound, etc), to help avoid resource conflicts.        If enabled, some extra resource files will be created under        /proc/bus/pccard, and the lspnp and setpnp tools can be used to        view and manipulate PnP BIOS devices.  However, this setting        causes problems on some laptops and is not turned on by default.     MMoodduullee iinnssttaallll ddiirreeccttoorryy??        The directory that new kernel modules will be installed into.        Normally this should be the subdirectory of /lib/modules that        matches your kernel version.     HHooww ttoo sseett kkeerrnneell--ssppeecciiffiicc ooppttiioonnss??        There are a few kernel configuration options that affect the        PCMCIA tools.  The configuration script can deduce these from        the running kernel (the default and most common case).        Alternatively, if you are compiling for installation on another        machine, it can read the configuration from a kernel source        tree, or each option can be set interactively.  The Configure script can also be executed non-interactively, for  automatic builds or to quickly reconfigure after a kernel update.  Some additional less-frequently-used options can be only be set from  the command line.  Running ``Configure --help'' lists all available  options.  Running ``make all'' followed by ``make install'' will build and then  install the kernel modules and utility programs.  Kernel modules are  installed under /lib/modules/<version>/pcmcia.  The cardmgr and  cardctl programs are installed in /sbin.  If cardinfo is built, it is  installed in /usr/bin/X11.  Configuration files will be installed in the /etc/pcmcia directory.  If you are installing over an older version, your old config scripts  will be backed up before being replaced.  The saved scripts will be  given an *.O extension.  If you don't know what kind of host controller your system uses, you  can use the probe utility in the cardmgr/ subdirectory to determine  this.  There are two major types: the Databook TCIC-2 type and the  Intel i82365SL-compatible type.  In a few cases, the probe command will be unable to determine your  controller type automatically.  If you have a Halikan NBD 486 system,  it has a TCIC-2 controller at an unusual location: you'll need to edit  rc.pcmcia to load the tcic module, and also set the PCIC_OPTS  parameter to ``tcic_base=0x02c0''.  On some old pre-PCI systems using Cirrus controllers, including the  NEC Versa M, the BIOS puts the controller in a special suspended state  at system startup time.  On these systems, the probe command will fail  to find any known host controller.  If this happens, edit rc.pcmcia  and set PCIC to i82365, and PCIC_OPTS to ``wakeup=1''.  22..33..  SSttaarrttuupp ooppttiioonnss  The PCMCIA startup script recognizes several groups of startup  options, set via environment variables.  Multiple options should be  separated by spaces and enclosed in quotes.  Placement of startup  options depends on the Linux distribution used.  They may be placed  directly in the startup script, or they may be kept in a separate  option file.  See the ``Notes about specific Linux distributions'' for  specifics.  The following variables can be set:     PCMCIA        This variable specifies whether PCMCIA support should be started        up, or not.  If it is set to anything other than ``yes'', then        the startup script will be disabled.     PCIC        This identifies the PC Card Interface Controller driver module.        There are two options: ``tcic'' or ``i82365''.  Virtually all        current controllers are in the ``i82365'' group.  This is the        only mandatory option setting.     PCIC_OPTS        This specifies options for the PCIC module.  Some host        controllers have optional features that may or may not be        implemented in a particular system.  In some cases, it is        impossible for the socket driver to detect if these features are        implemented.  See the corresponding man page for a complete        description of the available options.     CORE_OPTS        This specifies options for the pcmcia_core module, which        implements the core PC Card driver services.  See ``man        pcmcia_core'' for more information.     CARDMGR_OPTS        This specifies options to be passed to the cardmgr daemon.  See        ``man cardmgr'' for more information.     SCHEME        If set, then the PC Card configuration scheme will be        initialized to this at driver startup time.  See the ``Overview        of the PCMCIA configuration scripts'' for a discussion of        schemes.  The low level socket drivers, tcic and i82365, have various bus timing  parameters that may need to be adjusted for certain systems with  unusual bus clocking.  Symptoms of timing problems can include card  recognition problems, lock-ups under heavy loads, high error rates, or  poor device performance.  Only certain host bridges have adjustable  timing parameters: check the corresponding man page to see what  options are available for your controller.  Here is a brief summary:  +o  ISA-bus Cirrus controllers have numerous configurable timing     parameters.  The most important seems to be the cmd_time flag,     which determines the length of PCMCIA bus cycles.  Fast 486 systems     (i.e., DX4-100) seem to often benefit from increasing this from 6     (the default) to 12 or 16.  +o  The Cirrus PD6729 PCI controller has the fast_pci flag, which     should be set if the PCI bus speed is greater than 25 MHz.  +o  For Vadem VG-468 controllers, the async_clock flag changes the     relative clocking of PCMCIA bus and host bus cycles.  Setting this     flag adds extra wait states to some operations.  However, I have     yet to hear of a laptop that needs this.