Re: Closed source userspace graphics drivers with an open source kernel component

Saravana Kannan
2010-07-02T00:18:49Z

Dave Airlie wrote:
> This is more about initial development stages. We maintain kernel
> API/ABI for all in-tree drivers, however before we put a driver into
> mainline, we usually need to redo the crazy interfaces that vendors
> have come up with. Like 32/64 alignment, passing userspace addresses
> into the kernel, passing phy addresses to userspace etc. If the
> userspace binary is closed that process becomes next to impossible.

My 2 cents:
I think we should leave the onus of fixing the userspace to work with
the sane kernel API with the entity trying to get their drivers into the
kernel. I think it's a better approach (as in, more likelihood of
getting device support) than saying, we will only allow fully open
sourced kernel drivers.

-Saravana