[PATCH] firmware: sysfb: Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated

[PATCH] firmware: sysfb: Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated

[Thomas Zimmermann]

Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated. Enabling it allows to
run simpledrm and simplefb on EFI/VESA framebuffers. Doing this
is discouraged in favor of using efidrm and vesadrm.

Signed-off-by: Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@suse.de>
---
 drivers/firmware/Kconfig | 33 ++++++++++++---------------------
 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/firmware/Kconfig b/drivers/firmware/Kconfig
index bbd2155d8483..b4e705abdc8f 100644
--- a/drivers/firmware/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/firmware/Kconfig
@@ -184,32 +184,23 @@ config SYSFB
 	select SCREEN_INFO
 
 config SYSFB_SIMPLEFB
-	bool "Mark VGA/VBE/EFI FB as generic system framebuffer"
+	bool "Mark VGA/VBE/EFI FB as generic system framebuffer (deprecated)"
 	depends on X86 || EFI
 	select SYSFB
 	help
 	  Firmwares often provide initial graphics framebuffers so the BIOS,
 	  bootloader or kernel can show basic video-output during boot for
-	  user-guidance and debugging. Historically, x86 used the VESA BIOS
-	  Extensions and EFI-framebuffers for this, which are mostly limited
-	  to x86 BIOS or EFI systems.
-	  This option, if enabled, marks VGA/VBE/EFI framebuffers as generic
-	  framebuffers so the new generic system-framebuffer drivers can be
-	  used instead. If the framebuffer is not compatible with the generic
-	  modes, it is advertised as fallback platform framebuffer so legacy
-	  drivers like efifb, vesafb and uvesafb can pick it up.
-	  If this option is not selected, all system framebuffers are always
-	  marked as fallback platform framebuffers as usual.
-
-	  Note: Legacy fbdev drivers, including vesafb, efifb, uvesafb, will
-	  not be able to pick up generic system framebuffers if this option
-	  is selected. You are highly encouraged to enable simplefb as
-	  replacement if you select this option. simplefb can correctly deal
-	  with generic system framebuffers. But you should still keep vesafb
-	  and others enabled as fallback if a system framebuffer is
-	  incompatible with simplefb.
-
-	  If unsure, say Y.
+	  user-guidance and debugging.
+
+	  This option, if enabled, marks VBE/EFI framebuffers as system
+	  framebuffers so the generic simpledrm driver can be used. If the
+	  framebuffer is not compatible with the generic modes, it is
+	  advertised as fallback platform framebuffer so regular drivers like
+	  efidrm, vesadrm can pick it up.
+
+	  This option is deprecated and will be removed in the near future. If
+	  unsure, say N and select efidrm, vesadrm instead. The dedicated DRM
+	  drivers provide the same functionality plus additional features.
 
 config TH1520_AON_PROTOCOL
 	tristate "Always-On firmware protocol"
-- 
2.54.0

Re: [PATCH] firmware: sysfb: Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated

[Javier Martinez Canillas]

Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@suse.de> writes:

Hello Thomas,

Thanks for the patch.

> Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated. Enabling it allows to
> run simpledrm and simplefb on EFI/VESA framebuffers. Doing this
> is discouraged in favor of using efidrm and vesadrm.
>
> Signed-off-by: Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@suse.de>
> ---

Reviewed-by: Javier Martinez Canillas <javierm@redhat.com>

Do you know what the policy is for removal? For example,
how many Linux releases should we wait for this to go away?

-- 
Best regards,

Javier Martinez Canillas
Core Platforms
Red Hat

Re: [PATCH] firmware: sysfb: Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated

[Thomas Zimmermann]

Hi

Am 17.06.26 um 10:46 schrieb Javier Martinez Canillas:
> Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@suse.de> writes:
>
> Hello Thomas,
>
> Thanks for the patch.
>
>> Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated. Enabling it allows to
>> run simpledrm and simplefb on EFI/VESA framebuffers. Doing this
>> is discouraged in favor of using efidrm and vesadrm.
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@suse.de>
>> ---
> Reviewed-by: Javier Martinez Canillas <javierm@redhat.com>

Thanks. The sashiko bot detected some inconsistencies in the docs, so 
there will be a v2 of this patch.

>
> Do you know what the policy is for removal? For example,
> how many Linux releases should we wait for this to go away?

IDK. I'd wait for 2 or 3 releases after this lands and then remove it. 
It's a small change with a clear upgrade patch after all.

Best regards
Thomas

>

-- 
--
Thomas Zimmermann
Graphics Driver Developer
SUSE Software Solutions Germany GmbH
Frankenstr. 146, 90461 Nürnberg, Germany, www.suse.com
GF: Jochen Jaser, Andrew McDonald, Werner Knoblich, (HRB 36809, AG Nürnberg)

Re: [PATCH] firmware: sysfb: Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated

[Julian Braha]

Hi Thomas,

On 6/17/26 09:17, Thomas Zimmermann wrote:
> Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated. Enabling it allows to

>  config SYSFB_SIMPLEFB
> -	bool "Mark VGA/VBE/EFI FB as generic system framebuffer"
> +	bool "Mark VGA/VBE/EFI FB as generic system framebuffer (deprecated)"

In v2, I think it also makes sense to add the 'transitional' attribute
to the Kconfig entry to help phase it out.

Also see this patch message for an explanation of 'transitional':
https://lore.kernel.org/all/20250923213422.1105654-2-kees@kernel.org/

- Julian Braha

Re: [PATCH] firmware: sysfb: Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated

[Thomas Zimmermann]

Hi

Am 17.06.26 um 18:45 schrieb Julian Braha:
> Hi Thomas,
>
> On 6/17/26 09:17, Thomas Zimmermann wrote:
>> Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated. Enabling it allows to
>>   config SYSFB_SIMPLEFB
>> -	bool "Mark VGA/VBE/EFI FB as generic system framebuffer"
>> +	bool "Mark VGA/VBE/EFI FB as generic system framebuffer (deprecated)"
> In v2, I think it also makes sense to add the 'transitional' attribute
> to the Kconfig entry to help phase it out.
>
> Also see this patch message for an explanation of 'transitional':
> https://lore.kernel.org/all/20250923213422.1105654-2-kees@kernel.org/

Thanks for this pointer; I wasn't aware of this feature. This will be 
really useful to not accidentally leave users without display output.

I've played with the option, but it does not work are purely as shown in 
the example. I think it's because EFIDRM and VESADRM are existing 
options. So they already have a value.

What I did instead was to add new internal config options. They depend 
on the now-transitional SYSFB_SIMPLEFB and select the correct drivers. 
Once SYSFB_SIMPLEFB goes away, these options can go away as well.

Best regards
Thomas

>
> - Julian Braha
>

-- 
--
Thomas Zimmermann
Graphics Driver Developer
SUSE Software Solutions Germany GmbH
Frankenstr. 146, 90461 Nürnberg, Germany, www.suse.com
GF: Jochen Jaser, Andrew McDonald, Werner Knoblich, (HRB 36809, AG Nürnberg)