[PATCH] firmware: sysfb: Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated

From: Thomas Zimmermann

Date: Wed Jun 17 2026 - 04:18:23 EST


Mark CONFIG_SYSFB_SIMPLEFB as deprecated. Enabling it allows to
run simpledrm and simplefb on EFI/VESA framebuffers. Doing this
is discouraged in favor of using efidrm and vesadrm.

Signed-off-by: Thomas Zimmermann <tzimmermann@xxxxxxx>
---
drivers/firmware/Kconfig | 33 ++++++++++++---------------------
1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 21 deletions(-)

diff --git a/drivers/firmware/Kconfig b/drivers/firmware/Kconfig
index bbd2155d8483..b4e705abdc8f 100644
--- a/drivers/firmware/Kconfig
+++ b/drivers/firmware/Kconfig
@@ -184,32 +184,23 @@ config SYSFB
select SCREEN_INFO

config SYSFB_SIMPLEFB
- bool "Mark VGA/VBE/EFI FB as generic system framebuffer"
+ bool "Mark VGA/VBE/EFI FB as generic system framebuffer (deprecated)"
depends on X86 || EFI
select SYSFB
help
Firmwares often provide initial graphics framebuffers so the BIOS,
bootloader or kernel can show basic video-output during boot for
- user-guidance and debugging. Historically, x86 used the VESA BIOS
- Extensions and EFI-framebuffers for this, which are mostly limited
- to x86 BIOS or EFI systems.
- This option, if enabled, marks VGA/VBE/EFI framebuffers as generic
- framebuffers so the new generic system-framebuffer drivers can be
- used instead. If the framebuffer is not compatible with the generic
- modes, it is advertised as fallback platform framebuffer so legacy
- drivers like efifb, vesafb and uvesafb can pick it up.
- If this option is not selected, all system framebuffers are always
- marked as fallback platform framebuffers as usual.
-
- Note: Legacy fbdev drivers, including vesafb, efifb, uvesafb, will
- not be able to pick up generic system framebuffers if this option
- is selected. You are highly encouraged to enable simplefb as
- replacement if you select this option. simplefb can correctly deal
- with generic system framebuffers. But you should still keep vesafb
- and others enabled as fallback if a system framebuffer is
- incompatible with simplefb.
-
- If unsure, say Y.
+ user-guidance and debugging.
+
+ This option, if enabled, marks VBE/EFI framebuffers as system
+ framebuffers so the generic simpledrm driver can be used. If the
+ framebuffer is not compatible with the generic modes, it is
+ advertised as fallback platform framebuffer so regular drivers like
+ efidrm, vesadrm can pick it up.
+
+ This option is deprecated and will be removed in the near future. If
+ unsure, say N and select efidrm, vesadrm instead. The dedicated DRM
+ drivers provide the same functionality plus additional features.

config TH1520_AON_PROTOCOL
tristate "Always-On firmware protocol"
--
2.54.0