Re: [linux-dvb] Multiproto API/Driver Update

[Simon Kenyon <simon@koala.ie>]

Markus Rechberger wrote:
> On Sun, Sep 7, 2008 at 9:15 PM, Simon Kenyon <simon@koala.ie> wrote:
>   
>> Steven Toth wrote:
>>     
>>> A big difference between can and will, the em28xx fiasco tells us this.
>>>
>>>       
>> just wondering if your tree will go any way towards resolving that
>> little problem?
>>     
>
> I don't see any fiasco nor problem here, it's more comfortable to have
> the em28xx in an extra
> tree and do ongoing development with it. People who followed the
> development  during the last
> few years know that newer things got added and newer chips are
> supported by it, it will continue
> to evolve anyway.
>
> The driverwork is currently around 30% of it, patching applications
> and providing full support from
> the driver till the endapplications is what everything's focussing on
> mcentral.de not just driver only
> development.
>
> We do dedicated application support for several customers too (analog
> tv, radio, dvb integration in their
> business applications).
> There are many new products coming up, adding support for them is on
> the roadmap.
>
> Markus
>
>   
i have had the device for a while now
i originally got it because the wiki showed that support was being worked on
then that all changed and you moved your stuff elsewhere

i really don't understand your rationale. i really don't.
i'm not trying to start a flame war, but your arguments for having your 
own tree and doing stuff user side makes no sense

let my try to explain:

you say:

 > it is more comfortable to have the em28xx in an extra tree

it may very well be comfortable for you. but it is impossible for me
i have lots of different devices. i can choose between using your tree 
and having support for one of them.
or i change choose the linuxtv.org tree and have supoort for all the 
other. how is that "more comfortable"?
i really don't understand that argument

you then say:

 > newer things get added and newer chips are supported by it

how does that help me? it doesn't, as far as i can see

next you say:

 > the driverwork is currently around 30% of it, patching applications 
and providing full support from the driver till the...

apart from the little speedbump that is multiproto vs. s2api most apps 
don't need "supporting". they are already supported by their respective 
communities.

 > we do dedicated application support for several customers...

now i think we get to the heart of the matter.
you have built up a nice little business providing support for the 
various devices. you have customers who (in my humble opinion 
misguidedly) think that by having support in your tree that they can 
proudly boast "linux supported". all i can say is well done. 
congratulations on building a sucessful business.

but please do not mistake that for providing linux support for the 
em28xx devices in linux. what you are providing and "linux support of 
the em28xx class of devices" are not one and the same thing. for better 
or worse, linux support means that at some point (and it may well be one 
year from now) it will be in the kernel.
have you not seen all the software that has come and gone because linus 
will not put it in the tree. right now the only route to doing that is 
to get it in the linuxtv.org tree. from there it stands some chance of 
making it into the kernel. i seriously doubt that any other approach has 
any chance of success.

this may not be of concern or interest to you. well so be it. but it is 
important to me.

regards and best of luck
--
simon

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