> Why should x86-specific-BIOS-USB-handoff-specific-crap-PCI-quirks be > even _compiled_ on PowerPC systems that have nothing remotely like > the affected hardware (BIOS & PS/2 serio chip)?
For starters, none of the controller specs say that the handshaking is x86-specific. There's a certain amount of "x86 Linux gets the most testing" going on here. Plus a lot of "nobody really used that usb-handoff code before, except to fix semi-broken x86 systems". One requirement coming from x86/DOS legacy support though is that the system probably expects to "work like DOS" at various boot stages. Hence the way some systems take kbd/mouse input from USB and jam it through PS2 serio hardware, so DOS will see it. Which is why x86 hardware generally _does_ need to use these handhaking mechanisms, to kick the BIOS off the hardware. (And why the USB folk have been very used to telling folk to disable BIOS support for USB. That's fine advice unless you've got a USB keyboard or mouse.) > The difference is, OpenFirmware is nice and clean and stops messing > with hardware before handing off to the new kernel. That's a nice design policy (IMO) but sometimes folk also like to draw the firmware/OS boundary in different ways. In any case ... let's all just blame this on DOS, and move on to something that's not as twentieth-century. :) - Dave ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by the JBoss Inc. Get Certified Today * Register for a JBoss Training Course Free Certification Exam for All Training Attendees Through End of 2005 Visit http://www.jboss.com/services/certification for more information _______________________________________________ [email protected] To unsubscribe, use the last form field at: https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/linux-usb-devel
