Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:49:37 +0100 (BST) From: Robert Watson <rwatson@FreeBSD.org> To: Gary Palmer <gpalmer@freebsd.org> Cc: Pieter de Goeje <pieter@degoeje.nl>, Lev Serebryakov <lev@freebsd.org>, freebsd-arch@freebsd.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD problems and preliminary ways to solve Message-ID: <alpine.BSF.2.00.1108191946210.58323@fledge.watson.org> In-Reply-To: <20110819172252.GE88904@in-addr.com> References: <slrnj4oiiq.21rg.vadim_nuclight@kernblitz.nuclight.avtf.net> <810527321.20110819123700@serebryakov.spb.ru> <201108191401.23083.pieter@degoeje.nl> <425884435.20110819175307@serebryakov.spb.ru> <20110819172252.GE88904@in-addr.com>
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On Fri, 19 Aug 2011, Gary Palmer wrote: > I think we need to refocus on what would give the most benefit. At least > as far as I can see: > > - port/package management: most users would benefit Definitely -- and there's active work going on here that is very exciting indeed. > - improved virtualisation support: a lot of users would benefit This is an area of very active work as well, although I'd like to see more going on. In particular, I'd like to see (a) significantly more mature Xen HVM PV driver support -- and the ability to load them on a GENERIC kernel so we don't break freebsd-update kernel updates by requiring custom kernels, and (b) bHyve to be fleshed out, including support for suspend/resume and migration. Cambridge may be able to help with non-i386/amd64 virtualisation; I have a local TODO item relating to MIPS virtualisation, for example. > - improved driver support: a lot of users would benefit For server/appliance-centric devices, we're going quite well. For consumer devices, less so. However, it's generally the case that things have dramatically improved in the last ten years: companies come to us with drivers now, asking how to get them merged, and frequently their developers get commit bits and maintain them in-tree even. Compare this to 2000 when we had hacked up Intel device drivers, and other than Adaptec, almost no storage vendors closely involved in the project. > - KMS/GEM for better graphics card support: a lot of users would benefit The FreeBSD Foundation recently funded work on precisely this; it hasn't quite made 9.0, but for Intel driver stuff it should make it for 9.1. Maybe Kostik can say more about this. Robert N M Watson Computer Laboratory University of Cambridge
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