RE: [PATCH] drivers/idle: make intel_idle.c driver more explicitly non-modular

[Brown, Len]

The first idle driver to register with cpuidle wins.

intel_idle should always get the opportunity
to probe and register before acpi_idle (processor_idle.c)

When intel_idle was allowed to be modular,
some distros build their kernel and loaded modules
such that acpi_idle could probe first.  In such
a kernel, intel_idle became dead code.

As intel_idle is a small driver, the q	uick fix
was to make it Y/N so that it would always probe
before acpi_idle, no matter how acpi_idle
is build and loaded.

Yes, even though intel_idle is a tiny driver, I think
it would be good to be able to unload it when it doesn't probe.

Today, it appears that acpi_idle (acpi/processor_idle.c)
is compiled Y/N.

thanks,
-Len

ps.

No, I do not believe that cpuidle should bother
supporting changing idle drivers at run-time.