Re: RFC: Platform data for onboard USB assets

Andy Green
2011-03-18T20:02:34Z

On 03/18/2011 06:25 PM, Somebody in the thread at some point said:

Hi -

>> if you grep in drivers/net you will find a wide range of network
>> devices that use the random_ether_addr() function:
>
> This is a slightly different case to the one where device tree is most
> useful which is the case where there is a MAC assigned to the system but
> it's been stored in an alternative location and needs to be programmed
> into the NIC by software.

From an earlier discussion in IRC, I know David's point is the presence
of so many calls to random_ether_addr() suggests the "crap, there is no
EEPROM" state can be reached by all those drivers.

In which case, they are all potential consumers of a MAC "stored in an
alternative location and needs to be programmed into the NIC by
software" solution, which he also thinks is needed.

-Andy