airo and firmware upload (was Re: 2.6 must-fix list, v3)

[Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com>]

Jean Tourrilhes wrote:
> 	o get the latest airo.c fixes from CVS. This will hopefully
> fix problems people have reported on the LKML.

please beg Javier to split up his patch.  He sends me a _huge_ patch 
with tons of changes each time.  If I object to one thing, we spin in 
another huge-patch loop... :/

Sending me 20, 50, 100 patches to the same file is ok.  Even encouraged.


> 	o get HostAP driver in the kernel. No consolidation of the
> 802.11 management across driver can happen until this one is in (which
> is probably 2.7.X material). I think Jouni is mostly ready but didn't
> find time for it.

yeah, there are many requests for this one


> 	o The last two drivers mentioned above are held up by firmware
> issues (see flamewar on LKML a few days ago). So maybe fixing those
> firmware issues should be a requirement for 2.6.X, because we can
> expect more wireless devices to need firmware upload at startup coming
> to market.

> 	As this firmware business seems to me not a wireless specific
> issue (see for example drivers/scsi/qlogicfc_asm.c or
> drivers/atm/atmsar11.data), I would prefer a generic solution to that
> problem, either saying it's OK to put firmware in the kernel (with
> proper licensing) or providing working technical solutions.


We need firmware upload, and, firmware _should_ be uploaded from userspace.

All someone needs to do is actually write the code for their driver to 
receive firmware from userspace, and the rest is easy.  A working 
technical solution is obvious, it just needs interested parties to 
implement.

We can upload firmware from initrd, if no boot device is available at 
the time.

	Jeff