> > I don't think Linux will ever have plug and play ready decent
> drivers in the
> > kernel for all hardware. I have to patch iptables, SMC (net),
> ftape-4x,
> > quicknet, isdn-dov & capi, cups, sane (hp4200) + scarse just to all
> my
> > hardware working. There are always going to be extra drivers but as
> we agree
> > they should be free if available for Linux.
>
To me this discussion represents some problems we are having as Linux
gets larger and more mainstream and has a massive plethora of devices in
need of a driver.This business of building device driver support into the
kernel is a good example, sure its all getting much more modular but
that's not my point.
Longer term what should the linux community do to make the production of
drivers easier??
Companies will always be reluctant to make the source to their drivers
freely available, they quite rightly believe it puts their intellectual
property at risk.
I'm not a software writer so I don't know what tools are already out on
the market for linux, free or otherwise. But if we build a simple driver
construction kit so that a manufacturer can produce a single precompiled
library and perhaps an xml document that tells the os how to install it
and use it.
One that is able to be utilised by any linux distribution and identify
driver version numbering.
I hate to say this but one of the elegance's of the windows driver model
is that its fairly simple to keep the number of files for the driver small
and there is a standard interface to driver installation that being the
inf file. Sure its not perfect and can screw up, but its easy to
distribute and install. It {the inf} even offer's some version control
and declaration of which versions of the OS can use the driver. Ontop of
this it is a compiled dll and whatever else so IP is protected.
How can linux achieve this level of simplicity in driver support /
production?? After all if its easy to build the drivers and protects their
IP then the manufacturers will build them to gain another competitive
advantage.
Arguments / feedback??
{puts on flameproof jacket and braces for impact}
--
SLUG - Sydney Linux User's Group - http://slug.org.au/
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