Re: [GIT PATCH] more Driver core patches for 2.6.19

From: Pavel Machek
Date: Sat Dec 16 2006 - 04:06:23 EST


Hi!

> > Seriously, though, please please pretty please do not allow a facility
> > for "going through a simple interface to get accesses to irqs and
> > memory regions" into the mainline kernel, with or without toy ISA
> > examples.
>
> I do agree.
>
> I'm not violently opposed to something like this in practice (we've
> already allowed it for USB devices), but there definitely needs to be a
> real reason that helps _us_, not just some ass-hat vendor that looks for a
> way to avoid open-sourcing their driver.
>
> If there are real and valid uses (and as mentioned, I actually think that
> the whole graphics-3D-engine-thing is such a use) where a kernel driver
> simply doesn't work out well, or where there are serious tecnical reasons
> why it wants to be in user space (and "stability" is not one such thing:
> if you access hardware directly in user space, and your driver is buggy,
> the machine is equally deal, and a hell of a lot harder to control to
> boot).

Well.. it is easier to debug in userspace. While bad hw access can
still kill the box, bad free() will not, and most bugs in early
developent are actually of 2nd kind.
Pavel
--
Thanks for all the (sleeping) penguins.
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