Messages in this thread | | | Subject | Re: [linux-audio-dev] ISA Plug & Play support in kernel | Date | Sun, 03 Jan 1999 18:20:46 +0000 | From | David Howells <> |
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>>What about P-n-P: this is DEFINITELY not kernel task. This is belond to >>userspace. If current version of tools is not clear -- change tools. Do not >>pullute kernel with such crap as P-n-P ... > > Nonsense; operating systems are supposed to manage resources. Card > interfaces are resources.
I have to agree with the later camp there... The issue is one for the kernel, and should link into device-driver management and first-order resource management (I/O, IRQ, DMA, Memory); and maybe also second-order resource management (SCSI devices, parallel port devices) in which the first order driver exports an interface to another driver.
In my opinion, the kernel should be responsible for negotiating a device's set of resources on behalf of the driver, and also negotiating how any of those resources may be shared. This is independent, really, of whether the kernel allows re-negotiation of the resources already bound to second device when the first is 'discovered'. But if the kernel does allow this feature, it should also be responsible for notifying already bound drivers of any changes in their configurations, as well as adjusting the hardware.
Though some may consider PnP to be the absolute direst filth, it does matter and it does need support from Linux - because a certain large Money Sink has gone around waving the PnP banner sufficiently that the lay public thinks that it is the best thing since sliced bread.
I also have to admit a small piece of self-interest in this camp - I have written a kernel configuration manager utility that tries to fulfill the integrated management role. It also tries to hide the differences between the various hardware configuration protocols that are abound: PCI, PnP, PnP-BIOS, and also legacy devices. This seems to work fairly well, and does not take up a great deal of space.
I'm currently trying to work out how to add partial ACPI-BIOS support (which my BIOS claims to have, and Win98 claims to find, but don't actually appear to be anywhere in the BIOS).
For further information, see: http://lucifer.hemmet.s-hem.chalmers.se/~dwh
All the best, David Howells
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