Re: [patch-2.3.51-pre2] misc cleanups

From: Thierry Vignaud (tvignaud@mandrakesoft.com)
Date: Fri Mar 10 2000 - 06:00:08 EST


Tigran Aivazian wrote:
> This patch does:
>
> a) remove dependency of CONFIG_MICROCODE on CONFIG_DEVS_FS in config.in
> because many users think it is impossible to use microcode driver
> (because devfs is in filesystems section so they have to possess some
> brain to go there and come back to "processor features" - it is better
> to allow it to compile using the standard devfs stubs and then let it
> fail at runtime, next time they will know better and compile devfs)

i disagree with your method; it'll only result in more user complaints
about buggy soft/how to do?/multi list spam.
Another solution may to do as when one want to compile a driver as a
module when modules support is disabled (warning box). But i'll require
a lot of work (altering all config programs)
We may also remove the DEVFS support in microcode driver or add in the
doc that it's require devfs.
Or this driver should use an include that provide a layer between
proc/devfs and the driver itself; /proc/cpu/ should be used when there
is no devfs support.

But this is not the _real_ problem, it's only an effect of the devfs vs
procfs debat.

Anyway, for final user, either they'll never see this because either
distro won't provide i686 compiled kernels or they'll provide kernels
for all ia32 cpu AND compile in devfs as it fixes some problems (i'am
thinking of the possibilty to break the 15 fs limit on scsi disks). So
why change this driver ?

-- 
www.linux-mandrake.com
somewhere between the playstation and the craystation
	Thierry

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