Re: [PATCH net-next 0/24] bnx2x: New FW and support for 578xx

["Michael Chan" <mchan@broadcom.com>]

On Tue, 2011-06-14 at 10:32 -0700, David Miller wrote:
> From: "Vlad Zolotarov" <vladz@broadcom.com>
> Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:22:40 +0300
> 
> > On Tuesday 14 June 2011 18:54:02 David Miller wrote:
> >> From: "Vlad Zolotarov" <vladz@broadcom.com>
> >> Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:32:31 +0300
> >> 
> >> > We also send the new FW files to David Woodhouse. It's the first time we
> >> > submit to the linux-firmware git so I hope we don't mess the things up:
> >> > we DO NOT patch firmware/WHENCE and firmware/Makefile files in our
> >> > net-next patches and we patch the WHENCE file in the linux-firmware
> >> > patch. Dave, pls., confirm if it's a correct procedure.
> >> > 
> >> > If it is, pls., note that the bnx2x driver will compile but won't work
> >> > until u integrate the new FW into the kernel tree.
> >> 
> >> David Woodhouse, what do you think we should do here?
> >> 
> >> I'm inclined to integrate the firmware into net-next-2.6 since this
> >> is the only way to keep the driver working consistently.
> >> 
> >> Otherwise people won't be able to git bisect properly, and that sucks.
> > 
> > Dave, as long as /lib/firmware contains all existing firmwares there should be 
> > no problems, isn't it?
> 
> You're saying above that the driver will compile but not work in net-next-2.6
> until the FW is integrated, that's not acceptable, the tree must be fully
> bisectable for people trying to track down bugs.
> 
> Which is it?
> 

If the firmware is not integrated into net-next-2.6, the newly patched
driver won't work.  You get an error at run time saying the firmware is
not available.

When David Woodhouse integrates the firmware and a new firmware rpm is
made available for users, then the new driver will work.