From: James Clark <jimwclark@ntlworld.com>
To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Cc: Patrick Mochel <mochel@osdl.org>
Subject: Re: Driver Model
Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2003 22:44:55 +0100 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <200309022244.55500.jimwclark@ntlworld.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.44.0309021420570.5614-100000@cherise>
Before I posted my original question I read Patrick's very helpful overview of
the Driver Model (www.amc.com.au/lca/loopback/papers/
Patrick_Mochel/Patrick_Mochel.pdf).
The reason I posed the question, as a newcomer to kernel development, moving
from WIN32 DDK development (sorry!) to Linux is that I was very surprised by
the module interface.
Would a more rigid 'plugin' interface and the concequent move from mainly
'source' modules to binary 'plugins' (still with source-code available for
all to see) mean that (a) Kernel was smaller (2) Had to be
released/recompiled less (4) Was EVEN more stable and (4) 'plugins' were more
portable across releases and easier to install ?
I love Linux but this seems to be holding it back...
James
On Tuesday 02 Sep 2003 10:29 pm, Patrick Mochel wrote:
> > 1. Will the move to a more uniform driver model in 2.6 increase the
> > chances of a given binary driver working with a 2.6+ kernel.
>
> Not necessarily. A binary driver still needs to be compiled for a specific
> version of a kernel. And, if it's not already working, the new driver
> model definitely won't help. :)
>
> > 2. Will the new model reduce the use/need for kernel modules. Would this
> > be a good thing if functionality could be implemented in a driver instead
> > of a module.
>
> No, it will not reduce usage of modules. The driver model has nothing to
> do with whether something is compiled as a module or not.
>
> > 3. Will the practice of deliberately breaking some binary only 'tainted'
> > modules prevent take up of Linux. Isn't this taking things too far?
>
> This is a loaded question, but ultimately it's a vendor issue. Most people
> do and will use vendor kernels. What they do with their kernel interfaces
> and how well they support binary modules is their beef.
>
>
> Pat
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2003-09-02 21:47 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 38+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2003-09-02 18:43 Driver Model James Clark
2003-09-02 19:13 ` Robert Love
2003-09-02 20:44 ` Richard B. Johnson
2003-09-03 14:36 ` Stuart MacDonald
2003-09-03 14:52 ` Jan-Benedict Glaw
2003-09-03 14:57 ` Alan Cox
2003-09-03 15:13 ` Stuart MacDonald
2003-09-03 15:33 ` Mariusz Zielinski
2003-09-03 15:50 ` Stuart MacDonald
2003-09-03 16:02 ` Mariusz Zielinski
2003-09-03 17:58 ` Stuart MacDonald
2003-09-03 16:58 ` Alan Cox
2003-09-03 18:21 ` Jeff Garzik
2003-09-03 15:50 ` Mariusz Zielinski
2003-09-03 22:41 ` David Schwartz
2003-09-04 11:03 ` Alan Cox
2003-09-03 15:22 ` Richard B. Johnson
2003-09-02 21:29 ` Patrick Mochel
2003-09-02 21:44 ` James Clark [this message]
2003-09-02 22:05 ` Greg KH
2003-09-02 22:08 ` Robert Love
2003-09-02 22:39 ` Jamie Lokier
2003-09-02 23:52 ` Andre Hedrick
2003-09-03 0:20 ` David Schwartz
2003-09-03 17:38 ` Andre Hedrick
2003-09-03 18:19 ` Alan Cox
2003-09-03 18:15 ` Andre Hedrick
2003-09-04 12:40 ` Henning P. Schmiedehausen
2003-09-03 13:10 ` Alan Cox
[not found] <rtHg.3n0.9@gated-at.bofh.it>
[not found] ` <rK5y.1xN.25@gated-at.bofh.it>
2003-09-03 18:42 ` Pascal Schmidt
2003-09-03 19:49 ` Andre Hedrick
2003-09-03 22:41 ` David Schwartz
2003-09-03 23:11 ` Pascal Schmidt
2003-09-03 23:33 ` David Schwartz
2003-09-04 1:38 ` Pascal Schmidt
2003-09-04 3:01 ` David Schwartz
2003-09-04 14:21 ` Pascal Schmidt
2003-09-04 1:37 ` Andre Hedrick
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