Re: [PATCH] Export shmem_file_setup and shmem_getpage for DRM-GEM

From: Arjan van de Ven
Date: Wed Aug 06 2008 - 13:25:12 EST


On Wed, 6 Aug 2008 18:20:40 +0200
"Stephane Marchesin" <marchesin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> On 8/5/08, Keith Packard <keithp@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > On Mon, 2008-08-04 at 22:25 -0400, John Stoffel wrote:
> >
> > > What about the onboard memory of graphics cards? Isn't that
> > > where Textures and such are stored as well? So once something
> > > is loaded to the card, shouldn't you be able to free it in
> > > system memory? Or swap it out ahead of time?
> >
> >
> > Right now, I'm working only on Intel integrated graphics, which
> > doesn't have any on-board memory. My thinking is that we'd best
> > solve the easiest case first before attempting the harder discrete
> > graphics driver. Plus, Intel pays me do do integrated graphics, so
> > I have an incentive.
> >
>
> Right, but it sounds adventurous to merge this work upstream before it
> is generic enough to work on discrete cards. Right now it only works
> on intel integrated cards ; integrated cards are one business,
> discrete are a completely different world and the issues afoot
> completely different.
>
> Should this go upstream, the kernel guys have to keep in mind and
> accept the possibility that another memory manager might be needed at
> some point.

the ATI driver guys already have the interface working.

In addition.. since when is "oh you must also make it work for THAT" a
requirement? Traditionally, it's up to the second person to make
generic code work for them (within reason of course, but I'll argue
that the bar of reasonableness has been met here)

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