From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S932195AbWDROZR (ORCPT ); Tue, 18 Apr 2006 10:25:17 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S932179AbWDROZQ (ORCPT ); Tue, 18 Apr 2006 10:25:16 -0400 Received: from coyote.holtmann.net ([217.160.111.169]:48319 "EHLO mail.holtmann.net") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S932195AbWDROZP (ORCPT ); Tue, 18 Apr 2006 10:25:15 -0400 Subject: Re: [RFC] binary firmware and modules From: Marcel Holtmann To: Jon Masters Cc: Linux Kernel In-Reply-To: <35fb2e590604180616r33a05380p65c0e1c26ae276de@mail.gmail.com> References: <1145088656.23134.54.camel@localhost.localdomain> <35fb2e590604180616r33a05380p65c0e1c26ae276de@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 16:25:27 +0200 Message-Id: <1145370327.10255.62.camel@localhost> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.6.1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Hi Jon, > > The attached patch introduces MODULE_FIRMWARE as one way of advertising > > that a particular firmware file is to be loaded - it will then show up > > via modinfo and could be used e.g. when packaging a kernel. I've also > > given an example via the QLogic gla2xxx driver. > > Ok. If nobody shouts today I'm going to suggest this go into 2.6.17. I > think more ellaborate schemes will come up later, but we also need > something usable out there now. I like to see this in 2.6.17, too. I also think that it would be a good idea if we can add a description to each firmware file. Like we do with the module parameters. > As others have pointed out, cunning schemes to hack how > request_firmware et al work are all very well and good, but often we > just don't know what firmware we'll need until runtime. Unless or > until there's a good way to address that, I think modules will need to > advertise every firmware and distros will have to package all possible > firmwares, just in case. And remember that request_firmware() is also used for overriding CIS tables for PCMCIA cards. Regards Marcel