diff -urpN linux-2.6/include/asm-x86/types.h linux-2.6.smallint/include/asm-x86/types.h
--- linux-2.6/include/asm-x86/types.h	2007-12-14 18:46:36.000000000 +0000
+++ linux-2.6.smallint/include/asm-x86/types.h	2007-12-17 14:28:23.000000000 +0000
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ typedef unsigned long long __u64;
 
 #ifndef __ASSEMBLY__
 
+/* For x86, minimum efficiently addressable memory unit is byte */ 
+typedef signed char smallint;
+typedef unsigned char smalluint;
+#define smallint smallint
+#define smalluint smalluint
+
 typedef signed char s8;
 typedef unsigned char u8;
 
diff -urpN linux-2.6/include/linux/types.h linux-2.6.smallint/include/linux/types.h
--- linux-2.6/include/linux/types.h	2007-12-14 18:46:36.000000000 +0000
+++ linux-2.6.smallint/include/linux/types.h	2007-12-17 14:33:46.000000000 +0000
@@ -32,6 +32,18 @@ typedef __kernel_mqd_t		mqd_t;
 #ifdef __KERNEL__
 typedef _Bool			bool;
 
+/* Minimum efficiently addressable memory unit.
+ * Recommended usage: global flag or enum variables; flag/enum struct members
+ * Don't use for: local variables, members of user-visible structs
+ * Guaranteed to be at least byte-sized.
+ */
+#ifndef smallint
+typedef int smallint;
+#endif
+#ifndef smalluint
+typedef unsigned smalluint;
+#endif
+
 typedef __kernel_uid32_t	uid_t;
 typedef __kernel_gid32_t	gid_t;
 typedef __kernel_uid16_t        uid16_t;