[virt-tools-list] [virt-manager PATCH] support creation of x86_64 domains with alternate machine types (e.g. q35)

[Cole Robinson]

On 05/05/2014 07:43 AM, Gerd Hoffmann wrote:
>   Hi,
> 
>>> So IMO the way to expose q35 is with a checkbox like 'Use Q35 chipset'.
> 
> That isn't exactly helpful either, for non-tech users. You could pick
> up the description from 'qemu -M ?', which lists northbridge,
> southbridge and chipset release year, giving the user some more clues
> what this is about.  Other properties such as q35 supporting pci express
> could be mentioned too.
> 
>>> But is q35 even 'ready' yet? Does it still block migration? Is there any
>>> roadmap to make it the default?
> 
> Not sure what ahci live migration status is.
> 
> On qemu q35 will probably never become the default.  But purely for
> backward compatibility reasons.
> 

Trying to intelligently expose this to a user is basically impossible: "do you
want all these cool sounding features which probably don't matter to you, and
they've received 1/100th the testing, and once you choose this setting there's
no easy way to go back?' :)

My original plan was to just wait for q35 to become the default, and never
expose it in the UI, specifically because of those difficulties. If we wanted
to expose it before then, then tuck it away where sufficiently knowledgeable
and motivated people will find it, but that regular users won't be tempted to
click.

But if q35 is never going to be the default, obviously I need to rethink that
strategy. First step would be generating a clear list of benefits of q35, like
actually real end user benefits like improved performance, enables feature
FOO, needed for OS 'bar', etc.

- Cole