Re: Linux headed for disaster?

david parsons (orc@pell.portland.or.us)
6 Dec 1999 13:07:17 -0800


In article <linux.kernel.199912051252380.SM00164@kendallb>,
Kendall Bennett <KendallB@scitechsoft.com> wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>There have been discussions in recent months about why Linux does not
>support binary portable drivers, such that binary drivers from one
>Linux kernel version will work with future Linux kernel versions
>without needing to be re-compiled.
>
>Every single problem that has been mentioned as reasons not to
>implment Binary Portable modules for the Linux kernel is solvable.

Yes, it is. What remains is to do two things: (a) write the code,
and (b) survive the wall of flame. If you write the code (a
single shim module that has to navigate the constant rewriting of
the lkm interfaces is a lot easier to maintain than the
approximately 500 drivers that have to navigate the same thing or
die) and it doesn't immediately convert kernels into gravel, it may
be useful enough so that it won't need to be in the baseline kernel
to survive (I'd certainly like to see it so I could use some newer
device drivers in 2.0.28 while waiting for 3.0 to appear.) In any
case, alas, talking about it here will cause a devfs-sized war and
(just like with devfs) nothing else.

____
david parsons \bi/ [rant elided, because it's the holidays]
\/

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