From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Jean-Christophe PLAGNIOL-VILLARD Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 20:27:01 +0000 Subject: Re: [RFC] [PATCH] Device Tree on ARM platform Message-Id: <20090527202701.GA16219@game.jcrosoft.org> List-Id: References: <20090527175609.GB31861@flint.arm.linux.org.uk> <4A1D8FBA.6040802@freescale.com> <20090527192909.GA32398@flint.arm.linux.org.uk> <20090527.132328.78091350.davem@davemloft.net> In-Reply-To: <20090527.132328.78091350.davem-fT/PcQaiUtIeIZ0/mPfg9Q@public.gmane.org> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit To: David Miller Cc: rmk+lkml-lFZ/pmaqli7XmaaqVzeoHQ@public.gmane.org, devicetree-discuss-mnsaURCQ41sdnm+yROfE0A@public.gmane.org, linux-sh-u79uwXL29TY76Z2rM5mHXA@public.gmane.org, linux-kernel-u79uwXL29TY76Z2rM5mHXA@public.gmane.org, linux-arm-kernel-xIg/pKzrS19vn6HldHNs0ANdhmdF6hFW@public.gmane.org, scottwood-KZfg59tc24xl57MIdRCFDg@public.gmane.org, yuan-bo.ye-3WKxDLwmzFNWk0Htik3J/w@public.gmane.org, timur-KZfg59tc24xl57MIdRCFDg@public.gmane.org On 13:23 Wed 27 May , David Miller wrote: > From: Russell King > Date: Wed, 27 May 2009 20:29:10 +0100 > > > To program them into the hardware registers, which is not what we in > > the ARM community say, but it's what the _network_ guys tell people > > they should be doing. > > > > I've suggested in the past having a standard kernel parameter such > > that you can specify a mac address on a per-device basis in a totally > > platform independent way, but the network folk don't like that idea. > > As a "network guy" I can tell you that when the system firmware > provides a system-wide or device specific MAC address in it's device > tree, that is what you should use. > > And that's what I've been doing on sparc FOR 15 YEARS. > > Device trees are the only systematic generic mechanism for > describing device layouts on the myriad of embedded boards > out there which you will ever find. > > Two platforms, and now a third, have been using this scheme > over a very proven period of time. It's not a hack, there is > infrastructure to get the boot loaders to do the right thing, > and only ARM seems to resist it. :-) The SH, avr32, mips, x86 does not support it too IIRC Best Regards, J.