Re: [GIT *] Allow request_firmware() to be satisfied from in-kernel, use it in more drivers.

David Woodhouse
2008-07-15T02:49:21Z

On Mon, 2008-07-14 at 22:22 -0400, Jeff Garzik wrote:
> You have to look at the build process, second stage image builders,
> embedded system image creators, and other "hangers on" that do not look
> and behave like a mainstream Linux distro.
>
> It is a mistake to assume that all systems are _already_ prepared to
> install and digest new /lib/firmware files that the kernel build now
> spits out.

I didn't just assume it. I checked the major distributions -- and they
_do_ check the MODULE_FIRMWARE() tags in the modules they include, and
include the corresponding firmware. The firmware loader has been around
for a _long_ time now, and they've had to support this for almost as
long.

Yes, there are occasional bugs -- and I'm sure there _are_ some minor
distributions or 'image creators' out there which still don't cope.

But that isn't a new problem -- and it's certainly not _caused_ by us
updating a small handful of the older drivers to match what modern
drivers do.

--
dwmw2