Build Operating System version is different from Kernel version. Can this cause trouble?

Question

I have recently messed up my Debian Squeeze installation. (click for more). I fixed audio but my battery state indicator and touchpad isn't working. In my attempt to fix this I observed that Kernel version of my system is different from the build os version. This is the out put of Xorg :1 -configure

root@debian-box:/boot# Xorg :1 -configure

X.Org X Server 1.7.7
Release Date: 2010-05-04
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: Linux 2.6.32.29-dsa-ia32 i686 Debian
Current Operating System: Linux debian-box 2.6.32-5-686 #1 SMP Tue Mar 8 21:36:00 UTC 2011 i686
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-5-686 root=UUID=df9afc0c-27af-42b2-95d7-a7944f3bac70 ro quiet
Build Date: 19 February 2011  02:37:36PM
xorg-server 2:1.7.7-13 (Cyril Brulebois ) 
...

Answer 1

No, there's absolutely no reason why you should build X (or most programs) on the same operating system that you'll run it on. It's often more difficult, occasionally even impossible, to build software for a different processor architecture (amd64/arm/ppc/x86/…). Building for a different operating system is easier, and the precise kernel version is completely irrelevant (unless you're building kernel modules).

(Then you might wonder why the information is included… I wonder too. I suspect it's a roundabout way of providing information about what compiler version and development packages were used for building, by indicating a probable distribution and version indication.)

Answer 2

"Build OS version" refers to the OS used when compiling the X.Org server and "Current OS version" refers to your specific machine.

If you do:

 uname -a

the output should match "Current Operating System:".