Messages in this thread | | | Date | Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:22:35 -0400 | From | Jeff Garzik <> | Subject | Re: [GIT *] Allow request_firmware() to be satisfied from in-kernel, use it in more drivers. |
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Linus Torvalds wrote: > On Mon, 14 Jul 2008, Jeff Garzik wrote: >> IMO the newly added /inability/ to build firmware into kernel modules is a >> clear regression. > > IMO you're being stupid. > > How about explainign why it makes any difference what-so-ever? > > If you can load the module, you can load the firmware. Claiming anything > else is just _stupid_.
False -- for every router build script, driver disk build script, etc. that has not yet been updated to copy both a module and the /lib/firmware that the kernel tree is newly spitting out.
And for every case, the breakage is completely silent, until one boots into a firmware-less image and loads drivers.
> And if you cannot see the advantage of having _one_ interface to firmware > loading, instead of each driver picking a random approach, I don't know > what to say.
It's a great approach! As I've said over and over and over (and now over) again.
My complaints are about --not breaking stuff--, not request_firmware().
You have to look at the build process, second stage image builders, embedded system image creators, and other "hangers on" that do not look and behave like a mainstream Linux distro.
It is a mistake to assume that all systems are _already_ prepared to install and digest new /lib/firmware files that the kernel build now spits out.
And the consequences of that assumption is a non-working driver, often a non-booting system, not just a few quirks here and there.
Jeff
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