From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Mon, 24 Sep 2001 13:41:16 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Mon, 24 Sep 2001 13:41:06 -0400 Received: from thor.lineo.com ([204.246.147.11]:2015 "EHLO thor.lineo.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id ; Mon, 24 Sep 2001 13:40:49 -0400 Message-ID: <3BAF706E.E0DFA0AA@lineo.com> Date: Mon, 24 Sep 2001 11:42:06 -0600 From: Tim Bird X-Accept-Language: en MIME-Version: 1.0 CC: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: Binary only module question In-Reply-To: <20010924124044.B17377@devserv.devel.redhat.com> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii To: unlisted-recipients:; (no To-header on input)@localhost.localdomain Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Arjan van de Ven wrote: > I'm composing a list of all existing binary only modules, Will the list be available somewhere? I'm working on a tool that (among other things) indicates what is "accepted practice" for loadable modules that are binary. I seem to recall Linus saying, some years ago, something about the the fact that the module must not be fundamental to basic kernel operation. I can't remember the exact details of the quote (if anyone has it, I'd appreciate a reference to it), but I thought the general spirit was that add-on's are OK, but basic functionality (like the scheduler, memory management, driver *systems* (not drivers themselves), etc.) were off limits for being binary modules. I'm assuming that if a module is currently known, and there does not appear to be great backlash against it, that it is accepted practice. Also, I assume that modules that perform essentially the same functionality as these would also be acceptable (from a community standpoint - the legal standpoint is a different matter). Basically, I'm infering a kind of community precendence from existing known binary modules? Am I way off? (And yes, I know that given a choice, the community vastly prefers an open source module over a binary module) ____________________________________________________________ Tim Bird Lineo, Inc. Senior VP, Research 390 South 400 West tbird@lineo.com Lindon, UT 84042