>> The basic rule is that if the device works on multiple platforms
>> with no changes to the driver code, then it goes under drivers,
>> but if different platforms need different drivers, or it is
>> specific to one platform, then it goes under arch. However,
>> there are still some drivers in the kernel that were implemented
>> before the arch tree came in, and I wouldn't be surprised to
>> find that's one of them.
> Hmmm... Does this mean that at some future time the various
> drivers that *aren't* platform independent will be moved to
> arch/platform? It strikes me that many of the directories in
> drivers/ right now (2.2 tree) do not meet the multiple platforms
> qualification. That being the case, why not simply add new
> drivers to the existing tree thereby keeping consistency with
> current trends and let it all be moved later?
You'd have to ask the experts about that, I'v honestly no idea.
> For example, acorn/, macintosh/, sgi/ and zorro/ all contain
> drivers for a single different platform. zorro/, for example,
> is specific to the Amiga. However, an amiga/ directory also
> exists under arch/ppc/ and arch/m68k/. I presume that when
> someone (Linus?) reorganizes things that zorro/ will be moved to
> the arch/.../amiga/ directories. Does that further imply that
> the same kind of tree structure will be applied to
> arch/platform?
Again, I have no idea.
> Reason I'm asking is that there is a varient machine of the
> PowerMac, called an Apple Network Server, that has an LCD
> display, unlike any other PowerMac. A character driver for the
> LCD display has been written, the only real question is where it
> should be placed. As the current source tree has PowerMac
> drivers under devices/macintosh/ should the LCD device driver be
> added to that directory or should a macintosh/ (or perhaps ANS/)
> directory be added to arch/ppc and the new driver put there?
> I'd like to get the ANS specific changes merged into the proper
> source trees, and an answer to the above would greatly help
> towards that end.
Probably your best option for getting an answer would be to ask one of
the senior developers, such as Alan Cox or Linus himself.
Best wishes from Riley.
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| There is something frustrating about the quality and speed of Linux |
| development, ie., the quality is too high and the speed is too high, |
| in other words, I can implement this XXXX feature, but I bet someone |
| else has already done so and is just about to release their patch. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
* ftp://ftp.MemAlpha.cx/pub/rhw/Linux
* http://www.MemAlpha.cx/kernel.versions.html
-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/