Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 19:18:10 +0930 From: Greg Lehey <grog@lemis.com> To: Saten Shih <SatenShih@via.com.tw>, "'FAQ@FREEBSD.ORG'" <FAQ@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: I want to write our NIC Driver for FREEBSD !! Message-ID: <19980410191810.20556@freebie.lemis.com> In-Reply-To: <4399E411E49ED111973000A0C92BD8A007F83B@exchange2.via.com.tw>; from Saten Shih on Fri, Apr 10, 1998 at 03:49:16PM %2B0800 References: <4399E411E49ED111973000A0C92BD8A007F83B@exchange2.via.com.tw>
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On Fri, 10 April 1998 at 15:49:16 +0800, Saten Shih wrote:
> Hi ,Mr FAQ:
> I am a driver programmer for our nic .
> I want to write NIC(network card ) Driver for FREEBSD and may I ask
> you some questions?
>
> 1. where can I get sample driver (100Mbs ethernet good) ?
The complete operating system source code is located in the directory
/usr/src on an installed system. You'll find it in the saem directory
on the second CD-ROM of the 4-CD-ROM set.
> 2. How can I install our driver from floppy disk?
Normally, FreeBSD drivers are bound into the kernel. You can supply
them as a loadable kernel module if you want. However, due to the
source code nature of FreeBSD, we don't go to much trouble to ensure
that LKMs for one version would run on another version. Instead, we
recompile the LKM.
What this means to you depends on what your company is prepared to
do. I can see the following alternatives:
1. You write the driver. We test it and include it in the source
distribution. This means that everybody gets a copy of the
driver, even if they don't buy the board.
2. If this is not acceptable for Via, you could distribute source
code on the floppy. Purchasers of the board could then compile
the driver for their own environment.
3. Finally, if that didn't work, you could distribute multiple
versions of the LKM on floppy.
I think that alternative (3) would be a real headache. The -CURRENT
version of FreeBSD changes several times a day. From time to time
changes occur which require recompilation of all LKMs. A person using
-CURRENT would almost certainly have trouble with a driver supplied in
LKM form on floppy.
If you have any further questions, I'd be pleased to answer them
privately.
Greg
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