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

Jeff Garzik
2008-07-15T22:47:30Z

David Woodhouse wrote:
> On Tue, 2008-07-15 at 17:39 -0400, Jeff Garzik wrote:
>> 'make modules_install && make install' will
>> * install modules in /lib
>> * install firmware in /lib [2.6.27 only]
>> * install kernel
>> * update grub
>> * rebuild initrd
>>
>> Do this, under both 2.6.26 and 2.6.27.
>>
>> 2.6.26 will put a working driver into initrd.
>>
>> 2.6.27 will put a dead driver into initrd (because no firmware got
>> copied into initrd image).
>
> I believe your claim is untrue. It uses the distribution's tool to
> create the initrd, doesn't it? And those tools _do_ handle the
> MODULE_FIRMWARE() tags and pull in appropriate firmware.

slackware's CURRENT mkinitrd and kernel-modules scripts appear to
disprove your claims. And yes, they use a modern kernel, 2.6.24.

> They've had to
> get that right for _years_ already.

You should not just /assume/ that everything is ok, simply because time
passed since request_firmware() was added. Or let impatience blind you
to the breakage that will result from your change.

Further, there are several factors that clearly differentiate a driver
that has been using request_firmware() for a while, and newly converting
a large block of drivers en masse.

Jeff