From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Nov 1 02:15:41 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D76F416A4CE for ; Sat, 1 Nov 2003 02:15:41 -0800 (PST) Received: from storm.FreeBSD.org.uk (storm.FreeBSD.org.uk [194.242.157.42]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4584443FA3 for ; Sat, 1 Nov 2003 02:15:40 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from mark@grondar.org) Received: from storm.FreeBSD.org.uk (Ugrondar@localhost [127.0.0.1]) hA1AFFRo047652; Sat, 1 Nov 2003 10:15:16 GMT (envelope-from mark@grondar.org) Received: (from Ugrondar@localhost)hA1AFE1l047651; Sat, 1 Nov 2003 10:15:14 GMT (envelope-from mark@grondar.org) X-Authentication-Warning: storm.FreeBSD.org.uk: Ugrondar set sender to mark@grondar.org using -f Received: from grondar.org (localhost [127.0.0.1])hA1ADH4L032554; Sat, 1 Nov 2003 10:13:18 GMT (envelope-from mark@grondar.org) From: Mark Murray Message-Id: <200311011013.hA1ADH4L032554@grimreaper.grondar.org> To: "M. Warner Losh" In-Reply-To: Your message of "Fri, 31 Oct 2003 12:57:53 MST." <20031031.125753.124085663.imp@bsdimp.com> Date: Sat, 01 Nov 2003 10:13:16 +0000 Sender: mark@grondar.org X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.2 required=5.0 tests=EMAIL_ATTRIBUTION,FROM_NO_LOWER,IN_REP_TO, QUOTED_EMAIL_TEXT,REPLY_WITH_QUOTES version=2.55 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.55 (1.174.2.19-2003-05-19-exp) cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Subject: Re: User asks: can we decouple device vendor IDs from drivers? X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 01 Nov 2003 10:15:42 -0000 "M. Warner Losh" writes: > The problem with decoupling things entirely from the drivers is that > many drivers will say "if I have this revision of that card, do this > workaround." or "if I'm this or newer, I have this feature" both of > which are broken by the kernel forcing the driver to service a given > hunk of hardware. Hmm. Careful design may sort this out, methinks. If the file (which sounds analagous to /boot/device.hints to me) turned devid's into generic griver requrements (DEVID(0x04589045) == driver(foo) revision(bar) flags(baz, qux)) would that not be usable? (/me wonders if he has the time to do this - he's certainly interested) > The other down side is that when you bork the alias > file on solaris, you are so hozed. ... like most of the files in /boot/... > However, it would make the dynamic loading of drivers easier. I really like to concept of configuring things with vi(1), instead of with gcc :-) M -- Mark Murray iumop ap!sdn w,I idlaH